Records on the President's Commision on Organized Crime

The materials in FOIA 2007-0515-F are a selective, not necessarily all inclusive, body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult the archivist about related materials. 2007-0515-F 1 FOIA 2007-0515-F contains materials from the President's Commission on Organized Crime, established by Executive Order 12435 of July 28, 1983. The Executive Order directed the Commission to make a full and complete national region-by-region analysis of organized crime consisting of the following: define the nature of traditional organized crime as well as emerging organized crime groups; determine the sources and amounts of organized crime's income and the uses to which organized crime put its income; develop in-depth information on the participants in organized crime networks; evaluate federal laws pertinent to the effort to combat organized crime; advise the President and Attorney General with respect to its findings and actions which can be undertaken to improve law enforcement efforts directed against organized crime; make recommendations concerning appropriate administrative improvements and improvements in the administration of justice; and report to the President from time to time as requested ultimately leading to the submission of a final report. President Reagan designated Judge Irving R. Kaufman, of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, as Chairman. One year later, the President signed Public Law 98-368, which authorized the Commission to issue subpoenas for the testimony of witnesses and the production of information and to seek the assistance of the Justice Department in securing the testimony or information. The Commission held a series of seven public hearings from 1983 to 1985 in different areas of the country. These hearings were designed to explore current organized crime activity in number of areas such as money laundering, narcotics trafficking, and so on. The Staff and Office Files contain correspondence, memoranda, and publications maintained by individual staff members and offices. The files of Philip D. Brady of the Office of the Chief of Staff contain published volumes of two of the six hearings held by the Commission across the United States. In the Press Office, Reid Detchon's Speech Backup Files contain an interim report on drug abuse, drug trafficking, and organized crime and a draft of the final report of the Commission. Read less