NCJ Number
167305
Date Published
1997
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This paper focuses on America's efforts to counter international drug trafficking that impacts the United States through cooperation with law enforcement agencies in other countries, along with the influence this has had on law enforcement in other countries.
Abstract
The international law enforcement presence of the U.S. government is unique in at least three respects. No other government maintains law enforcement representatives in so many foreign countries; no other government has such a multitude of law enforcement agencies, each with its own reasons for operating and locating abroad; and no other government has exercised such a powerful influence in this century on the criminal laws, procedures, and investigatory tactics of other countries. After reviewing the history of the United States' involvement in international law enforcement, this paper focuses on international drug law enforcement and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA's) cooperation with European countries. Cooperation in specific law enforcement activities are described: intelligence-gathering and information, undercover operations, "controlled deliveries," and wiretapping. The author advises that the internationalization of U.S. law enforcement will continue apace into the foreseeable future. The international tentacles of U.S. criminal justice will become more numerous and diverse and extend farther. The channels will become more streamlined and efficient. Multilateral treaties, conventions, and institutions will proliferate and strengthen. Other nations' law enforcement systems will increasingly reflect United States examples and norms, thereby enhancing their vicarious enforcement of U.S. laws. 13 notes