ABSTRACT
Until now, little has been written about the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Witness Security Program’s inner workings.1 Better known as WITSEC, it is perhaps the most secretive layer of the federal criminal justice system. Those with the most knowledge of the program, marshals given the title of inspector, sign nondisclosure pledges before being given their coveted assignment. They are held to secrecy for life. WITSEC inspectors are among the lowest paid, most overworked, and least appreciated federal law enforcement officers in the Justice Department.2
