NCJ Number
200304
Date Published
December 2002
Length
66 pages
Annotation
This annual report describes the types of investigations the United States Postal Inspection Service was responsible for during 2002.
Abstract
The United States Postal Service is responsible for the safe and secure delivery of more than 200 billion pieces of mail a year, some of which contain money, financial documents, and merchandise. In order to protect the sanctity of the mail service, Congress empowered the Postal Service to investigate offenses related to the Postal Service. Each year, the Postal Inspection Service is responsible for investigating crimes involving mail theft, violent crimes, mail fraud, child exploitation, illegal drug trafficking, and money laundering. The report presents information about general investigations for each category of Postal Service-related crimes that occurred during 2002. The approximately 1,900 Postal Inspectors who are stationed throughout the country arrested 10,828 suspects for crimes involving the U.S. mail system. Thwarting volume mail theft was a high priority during 2002, with 5,858 mail theft suspects arrested by Postal Inspectors during the course of the year. Moreover, in the area of violent crimes, 2002 was the first year ever that there were no mail bomb incidents. Another area of concern for the Postal Service is mail fraud committed against businesses and consumers. Fraud on the Internet, mail order fraud, and telemarketing fraud are criminal enterprises that are often thwarted by postal inspectors who come into contact with these criminals through their use of the U.S. mail. Since 1984, when the Child Protection Act was passed, postal inspectors have investigated 4,474 cases of suspected child exploitation involving the U.S. mail system. Postal inspections also seek to disrupt illegal drug trafficking, asset forfeiture, and money laundering via the U.S. Postal Service. The report also describes how the postal inspectors take responsibility for ensuring the safety of postal employees and customers. Finally, the report describes the Fiscal Year 2002 goals, objectives, targets, and outcomes, and previews Fiscal Year 2003’s goals, objectives, indicators, and targets.