United States Marshal Service

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The United States Marshal Service (USMS) is a part of the Department of Justice. The United States Marshal Service occupies ninety-four United States Marshals, all appointed by the president. One Marshal is appointed to each federal court district. The headquarters is located in Washington, D.C. This is the oldest and most versatile federal law enforcement service. Although this service is often overlooked, it is critical in maintaining order in law enforcement. This service arrests approximately 337 fugitives every day. In addition to having offices held in the United States, offices are also open overseas in Columbia, Jamaica, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. The United States Marshal Service is responsible for detaining the most dangerous fugitives. This service provides many services which include managing prisoners, and sponsoring the Witness Security Program. The United States Marshal Service created a program which began in 1955. The US Marshals Service Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS), is responsible for handling prisoners. This is also commonly referred to as “Con Air.” Prior to this program, transporting prisoners was very complicated. To transfer a prisoner to far distances, a blockade of Marshals had to accompany a single prisoner on a commercial airline. This posed a threat to innocent civilians and was also very costly to tax payers. This program houses and transports all federal prisoners between prisons, detaining centers, courthouses, and other locations. The US Marshals transport and detain the prisoners not only for their initial punishment, but for their full sentence. They assume full custody of prisoners no matter which government agency arrested them. They are responsible for han... ... middle of paper ... ...d keep the lives of Americans safe after testimonies. It has given witnesses and their families a chance to start their lives over without fear of threats or harm. Above all, this program provides employment and medical care. In addition, I believe it has also helped catch many criminals because it gives civilians the opportunity to testify without the fear that their lives will be in danger. Because of this important program, many dangerous criminals have been convicted due to the witness’s brave testimonies. Also, it is beneficial because the witnesses can choose to go back to their former identities, if they so desire. In conclusion, I do believe that this program is extremely beneficial and it should continue to be funded and supported. Works Cited Falcon, Gabriel. "Inside the Witness Protection Program." CNN Justice . N.p., 16 Feb. 2013. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.

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