California Department of Justice

The California Department of Justice is the department in the California executive branch under the leadership of the California Attorney General.^[1]

Description

It has 4713 employees and a budget of $754 million.^[2] Among its major divisions and bureaus are:^[3]

• Bureau of Firearms, which "is responsible for identifying individuals who are ineligible to acquire or possess firearms" and other weapons
• Bureau of Gambling Control, which "regulates legal gambling activities"
• Division of California Justice Information Services, which "facilitates the exchange of criminal justice intelligence among law enforcement agencies"
• Division of Civil Law, which "both prosecutes and defends civil actions"
• Division of Criminal Law, which "represent[s] the People of the State of California in criminal cases"
• Division of Law Enforcement, which "maintains several crime suppression programs" and supports other state and local law enforcement agencies
• Division of Public Rights, which is involved with "safeguarding the state's environmental and natural resources," "preventing fraudulent business practices," and other responsibilities

Besides its support of the California Attorney General's work, the Department is frequently mentioned in the newsmedia for (among other activities):

• Its laboratory work. For example, in the 1995 trial of O. J. Simpson, the lead forensic chemist from the Department testified that DNA tests on blood samples from inside Simpson's Bronco "were 'consistent with' tests on blood taken from Mr. Simpson, his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald L. Goldman".^[4]
• Its statistics, for example on weapons sales in California.^[5]
• Its assistance to local law enforcement agencies, for example a database that "cross-reference[s] criminal history and firearms possession information".^[6]

References

1. California state government. The executive branch. 2008 Dec 18. Accessed 2008 Dec 29.
2. California Department of Finance. Accessed 2008 Dec 29.
3. California Department of Justice. About the Department of Justice. Accessed 2009 Apr 26.
4. Noble, Kenneth B. State scientist links blood in Simpson's Bronco to wife and friend. New York Times, May 18, 1995. Accessed 2008 Dec 29.
5. Thompson, Don. Gun sales hit all-time low despite 9/11 spike. Ventura County Star, March 19, 2002.
6. Computer disarms criminals - new database links guns and convictions. Daily News of Los Angeles, December 10, 2007.

External links

• Office of the Attorney General, California Department of Justice
• OpenJustice, criminal justice data from the California Department of Justice