The Marshals Service is the nation’s oldest and most versatile federal law enforcement agency. Since 1789, federal marshals have served the nation through a variety of vital law enforcement activities. Ninety-five U.S. marshals, appointed by the President or the U.S. Attorney General, direct the activities of 94 district offices and personnel stationed at more than 350 locations throughout the 50 states, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Each district, and the District of Columbia Superior Court, is headed by a U.S. marshal. The Marshals Service’s headquarters are located in Arlington, VA.

The Marshals Service occupies a uniquely central position in the federal justice system. It is involved in virtually every federal law enforcement initiative. Approximately 4,200 deputy marshals and career employees perform the following nationwide, day-to-day missions.

Judicial Security

Ensuring the safe conduct of judicial proceedings and protecting federal judges, jurors and members of the judiciary are principal functions of the Marshals Service. Deputy marshals and contracted court security officers (CSOs) maintain proper decorum in courtrooms and provide security inside federal courthouses in each of the 94 federal judicial districts and in the District of Columbia Superior Court.

The Marshals Service protects more than 2,000 sitting judges and countless other court officials at nearly 800 locations where court-related activities are conducted throughout the nation.

Marshals Service court security personnel provide the latest in state-of-the-art protective techniques and equipment in all phases of court proceedings, threat situations and judicial conferences — thus ensuring quick and safe responses in emergency situations as well as unobtrusive surveillance and protection during routine operations.

The Marshals Service also conducts surveys of local court facilities at the request of local jurisdictions. These assessments include reviewing the equipment and security procedures.

Court Security Officer Program

The Marshals Service administers contracts for approximately 3,300 CSOs who secure building entrances at more than 450 court facilities in the United States and its territories. Many CSOs have extensive law enforcement experience with state or local police departments.

Fugitive Investigations

Last year, the Marshals Service apprehended 55 percent of all federal fugitives. The agency executes more arrests warrants than all other federal law enforcement agencies combined. Working with law enforcement authorities at federal, state, local and international levels, the Marshals Service apprehends thousands of dangerous felons each year.

The Marshals Service has representatives coordinating fugitive matters at: the El Paso Intelligence Center in El Paso, Texas; National Drug Intelligence Center in Johnstown, Pa.; and Interpol in Washington, D.C. and France.

The Marshals Service has memoranda of understanding to assume fugitive investigations for: the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Customs Service; Internal Revenue Service; various investigative services within the Department of Defense; U.S. Department of Agriculture; Social Security Administration; Food and Drug Administration; Department of Health and Human Services; and various Offices of Inspectors General.

The Marshals Service has been designated by the Department of Justice as the primary agency to apprehend fugitives that are wanted by foreign nations and believed to be in the United States. Fugitive apprehension efforts have expanded abroad with Marshals Service offices in Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. Also, the Marshals Service is the primary agency responsible for tracking and extraditing fugitives who are apprehended in foreign countries and wanted for prosecution in the United States.

Witness Security

The Marshals Service ensures the safety of witnesses who risk their lives testifying for the government in cases involving organized crime and other significant criminal activity. Since 1970, the Marshals Service has protected, relocated and given new identities to 7,160 witnesses. The successful operation of the Witness Security Program have been generally recognized as providing a unique and valuable tool in the government’s war against major criminal enterprises.

Prisoner Services

The Marshals Service houses over 35,000 federal unsentenced prisoners each day in federal, state and local jails. Approximately 70 percent of Marshals Service prisoners are housed in 1,200 state, local and private jails. Thirty percent are housed in Federal Bureau of Prisons facilities. In areas where detention space is scarce, the Marshals Service uses Cooperative Agreement Program funds to improve local jail conditions and expand jail capacities in return for guaranteed space for federal prisoners.

JPATS

In 1995, the air fleets of the Marshals Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service merged to create the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System. The merger created a more efficient and effective system for transporting prisoners and criminal aliens. Operated by the Marshals Service, JPATS is one of the largest transporters of prisoners in the world, handling hundreds of requests every day to move prisoners between judicial districts, correctional institutions and foreign countries. On average, more than 250,000 prisoner and alien movements a year are completed by JPATS via coordinated air and ground systems.

Asset Forfeiture Program

The Marshals Service is responsible for managing and disposing of seized and forfeited properties acquired by criminals through illegal activities. Under the auspices of the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Program, the Marshals Service currently manages nearly $1 billion worth of property, and it promptly disposes of assets seized by all Department of Justice agencies. The goal of the program is to maximize the net return from seized property and then to use the property and proceeds for law enforcement purposes.

Special Operations and Programs

The Marshals Service carries out hundreds of special missions each year that are related to its broad law enforcement and judicial security responsibilities.

The Special Operations Group is a highly trained force of deputy marshals with the responsibility and capability of responding to emergency situations where federal law is violated or where federal property is endangered. Most SOG members are full-time deputy marshals stationed in district offices throughout the nation. They remain on call 24 hours a day for SOG missions. Specially trained deputy marshals provide security and law enforcement assistance to the Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Force when Minuteman and cruise missiles are moved between military facilities.