ABSTRACT
The Department of Justice (DOJ), created in 1870, has the primary responsibility of enforcing federal laws. In addition, the DOJ is involved with preventing and controlling crime and supervising federal prisons. The Attorney General (AG) of the United States heads the Department of Justice and is charged with the responsibility of investigating and prosecuting those who violate federal laws, including those who hinder others from enjoying their civil rights. Congress enacted the Judiciary Act of 1789, which provided for a US AG and district attorneys to manage criminal and other matters that involved the interests of the federal government. The Department of Justice has a significant history of investigating civil rights violations. As a result of the civil rights movement, Congress passed important civil rights legislation during the 1960s. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy used the new laws to involve the DOJ in civil rights violations.
