NCJ Number
154092
Date Published
1994
Length
208 pages
Annotation
This report presents information on wiretaps that were concluded between January 1, 1993, and December 31, 1993, and supplemental information on arrests and convictions that resulted from intercepts concluded in prior years.
Abstract
The Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 requires the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to report to Congress the number of Federal and State applications for orders that authorized or approved the interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications. The information provided includes the offenses under investigation; the location of the intercept; the cost of the surveillance; and the number of arrests, trials, and convictions that were a direct result of the surveillance. From 1992 to 1993, the total number of intercepts authorized by Federal and State courts increased 6 percent from 919 to 976. The number of applications for orders by Federal authorities increased 32 percent, primarily due to an increase in applications that involved surveillance of narcotics operations (up 47 percent). In contrast, the number of applications by State prosecuting officials decreased 9 percent from last year. Although the total number of applications has fluctuated over the years, the percentage of the total represented by Federal investigations has grown substantially. Federal applications now constitute 46 percent of the total compared to 32 percent in 1983. The percentage of intercepts related to drug offenses has also grown in recent years. Drug offenders were targeted in 70 percent of the interceptions concluded in 1993 in comparison to 56 percent in 1983. The appendix tables list all intercepts reported by judges and prosecuting officials for 1993.