United States Department of Justice

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) is a U.S. federal executive department responsible for enforcing federal law and overseeing the administration of justice nationwide. It serves as the federal government’s primary law enforcement and legal affairs arm, headed by the Attorney General, a member of the President’s Cabinet.

Key facts

• Established: July 1, 1870
• Headquarters: Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building, Washington, D.C.
• Core mission: Enforce federal law, ensure public safety, defend U.S. interests, ensure fair justice
• Employees: About 113,000 (2019 data)
• Recent budget scale: Roughly $37–44 billion annually in mid-2020s

Mission and role

DOJ’s mission is to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law, ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic, provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime, seek just punishment for unlawful behavior, and ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.

It prosecutes federal criminal and civil cases, represents the U.S. government in court, oversees most federal law enforcement agencies, runs the federal prison system, and administers grant programs that support state and local justice systems.

Structure and components

DOJ includes several major law enforcement agencies: the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

It also has specialized litigating divisions—such as Criminal, Civil, Civil Rights, Antitrust, Tax, Environment and Natural Resources, and National Security—that represent the federal government in courts. Ninety-four U.S. Attorneys’ Offices handle prosecutions and civil litigation in federal judicial districts.

Leadership

The department is led by the Attorney General, who oversees all DOJ operations and sets enforcement priorities, supported by the Deputy Attorney General, Associate Attorney General, Solicitor General, and other leadership offices. The Attorney General reports directly to the President.

Budget and activities

DOJ’s budget—tens of billions annually—funds federal investigations, prosecutions, prisons and detention, and grants to state and local justice systems. In FY 2024, DOJ spending was about $44 billion, roughly 0.6% of total federal spending, with major shares going to the FBI, Bureau of Prisons, and U.S. Marshals.