EXECUTIVE BRANCH: HUMAN RELATIONS AND RESOURCES


  Agency Responsibility: The Department of Justice provides legal representation
and advice,
criminal investigation, and other law enforcement services for the state.
  The department provides legal representation in civil cases involving the
state, a state agency,
or a state officer or employe. It handles criminal cases in the Wisconsin
Court of Appeals and the
Wisconsin Supreme Court. When expressly authorized by law or requested by
the governor,
either house of the legislature, or a state department head, the Department
of Justice provides
legal representation in lower court cases. The department also represents
state government units
in proceedings to review their administrative decisions in circuit court,
the court of appeals, and
the supreme court.
  The department advises state officers, departments, and agencies about
their legal rights and
responsibilities. On request, it furnishes written legal opinions to the
governor, the legislature,
state department heads, district attorneys, and counties corporation counsels.
These opinions,
many of which are published, serve as a general guide for state and local
government operations.
  The department consults with and advises county district attorneys and
corporation counsels
on civil and criminal matters within the jurisdiction of their offices. It
provides prosecutorial
training for the state's 71 district attorneys and their staff, circulates
a monthly prosecutorial
newsletter, and maintains a "hotline" to provide consultative services
to prosecutors during
trials.
  The department investigates crime that is statewide in nature or importance.
It enforces laws
pertaining to narcotics and dangerous drugs, gambling, prostitution, and
white collar crimes. It
investigates fires of known or suspected incendiary origin, bombings and
other explosions of
suspected criminal origin, and, by request, fires and explosions resulting
in fatalities. Upon
request, the department assists local law enforcement agencies with major
criminal cases.
  Other law enforcement services include technical assistance to Wisconsin
law enforcement
agencies in crime scene processing and laboratory analyses. The department
establishes stan-
dards for recruitment and training of police and jail officers and serves
as a central repository for
fingerprint identification and criminal histories. The Transaction Information
for the Manage-
ment of Enforcement (TIME) system allows instant telecommunications access
to the Crime
Information Bureau files through 470 terminals located in law enforcement
jurisdictions
throughout the state.
   Chapter 165 requires the attorney general to appoint an assistant attorney
general as "public
intervenor" and an advisory committee for the intervenor. The public
intervenor may intervene
in or initiate proceedings for the protection of "public rights"
in the state's water and other
natural resources.
   The department administers the Crime Victims Compensation Program, which
reimburses
both crime victims and public agencies for certain expenses. It also protects
consumers against
unfair trade practices by acting on behalf of consumers and providing consumer
information
and education.
   Unit Functions:
   The Division of Administration provides budget preparation and fiscal
control services, person-
nel and facilities management, mail services, and systems and data processing.
The division also
conducts research and policy analysis.
   The Division of Criminal Investigation is responsible for all criminal
investigations that the
department is authorized to conduct. It has 4 bureaus: arson; narcotics and
dangerous drugs;
organized crime and general investigations; and white collar and economic
crimes.
   Special agents work closely with prosecuting attorneys (either assistant
attorneys general or
district attorneys) in a cooperative effort to investigate crimes and successfully
prosecute
criminals.
   The Arson Bureau is responsible for investigating fires of incendiary
origin throughout
Wisconsin.
   The Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Bureau performs a large number of drug
and vice inves-
tigations in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies.
   A primary function of the Organized Crime and General Investigations Bureau
is to assist or
supplement local law enforcement on major crime cases when requested to do
so. Most requests
of this nature have been concerned with complex murder investigations and
multijurisdictional
theft rings. This bureau also maintains an organized crime intelligence capability.


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