A Message from the Deputy Attorney General

Since its founding in 1870, the Department of Justice has pursued a noble mission.  It has sought to keep the public safe; to uphold the rule of law; and to make fairness, equality, and impartiality the hallmarks of the American justice system.

Today, the more than 115,000 people who work at the Department of Justice continue to make those aspirations a reality.  They protect our national security, both physical and digital.  They keep our markets free and our elections fair.  They protect the American people from a wide range of threats and dangers, from organized crime to contaminated food; from dirty air to illegal drugs; from hate crimes to financial fraud.  They stand up for the oppressed, seek justice for victims, and provide a path for those who are convicted to repay their debt to society.  They champion cutting-edge research to help improve justice systems everywhere, and they support state, local, Tribal, and territorial partners as they implement best practices.  Through it all, our goals are to ensure equal justice for all and that justice is accessible to all. 

They do all of this from Department of Justice locations in every state and territory, in small towns and big cities, from coast to coast and everywhere in between.  They serve abroad in more than 50 countries.  And although the Department’s reach is vast, most of what its employees do occurs outside the limelight.  While they focus on the mission and go about their work, the Department’s employees do not lose sight of what brought them to the Department in the first place: the chance to strike a blow for justice; to be a force for that which is right; and to make a meaningful difference in the lives of all who call our country home.  The work of the Department is made most visible, and most tangible, not through the front page of the newspaper, but through the countless lives it touches and improves. 

We want to do that work as effectively as we can, which is why we set out this plan today.  The plan gives us a chance to articulate our ambitions for the Department, along with our strategies for achieving them.  But it is also an opportunity for us to shine a rare spotlight on just how much the Department’s incomparable workforce — operating at every level, all over the world — can accomplish for the American people.

Make no mistake: achieving the goals laid out in this plan will not be easy.  But we can achieve them precisely because, day in and day out, the Department’s employees dedicate themselves to the Department’s mission and devote their boundless talents to serving those who need us most.  Their commitment, skill, and tenacity give me every confidence that the Department is poised to execute this plan.  I am grateful for the work the Department’s employees do every day in service of our mission. 

- Lisa O. Monaco
Deputy Attorney General of the United States