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What is the Witness Protection Program (WITSEC)?
What is a witness security program?
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What is a federal Witness Protection Program?
Oct 3, 2024 · The Federal Witness Security Program protects crucial witnesses. How do you erase one identity and create a whole new one? Find out how the Witness Security Program "relocates" witnesses and their families.
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The United States Federal Witness Protection Program (WPP), [1] also known as the Witness Security Program or WITSEC, [2] is a witness protection program codified through 18 U.S. Code § 3521 and administered by the United States Department of Justice.
- The Witness Protection Program Used to Provide Plastic Surgery For Witnesses.
- Witsec Was Founded by Gerald Shur
- Thousands of People Have Been Moved as Part of The Witness Protection Program.
- There Were A Few Protected Witnesses Before Witsec Actually began.
- One Early Witsec Participant Was Joseph “The Animal” Barboza.
- The Fact That Valachi and Barboza Were Criminals Isn’T Unusual For Witsec.
- There Are Rules For Entering The Witness Protection Program.
- The First Thing That A Witness in The Program Will Experience Is Orientation.
- Witnesses Also Get A New Name—But Taking A New First Name Is Optional.
- Witnesses Get New Identifying documents.
To enticemobster Aladena Fratianno to testify in the late 1970s, the program paid for his wife’s surgery, including breast implants and a facelift. One unnamed participant was given a psychologist-suggested penis surgery—not to disguise his identity, but because he was depressed and needed a self-esteem boost in order to testify. As of the late '90...
Shur worked for the Justice Department at the time; he was the head of the Witness Security Program for around 25 years and was instrumental in turning it into what it is today. He’s also how we know a lot of what we know about mysterious program—he co-wrote a book titled WITSEC: Inside the Federal Witness Protection Program. Shur diedin 2020.
Between witnesses and their families, around 19,000 people have been moved thanks to the program. In 2012, the reported cost of keeping WITSEC running was about $10 million a year.
One of them was Joe Valachi, who was sort of an inspiration for the program. In 1963, Valachi turned in criminalshe knew from his participation in the Mafia in exchange for safety in prison. Government officials realized that offering protection was an effective way to convince criminals and witnesses to come forward, and they officially started WI...
Barboza, a murderer who testified against the mob in the late 1960s, was sent to California with a new identity. Unfortunately, he may have killed again. Eventually, he was shot, probably by the people he’d testified against.
According to Shur, about 95 percent of the witnesses in WITSEC are criminals in their own right. Around 10 to 20 percent of them will go on to re-offend. Because of that, it’s a risky and controversial program. But the Justice Department notes the upside: It claims that trials with witnesses in WITSEC testifying have an 89 percent conviction rate.
According to Shur, people hoping to enter witness protection have to sign a list of rules. One of the rules is a pledge to, in his words, "be a good person and live a normal life." And of course, they wouldn’t be put into WITSEC unless being a witness in their particular case would have to put them at risk.
There’s a WITSEC Safesite and Orientation Center in the Washington, D.C. area where six separate families can stay without coming into contact with each other. Family members go through medical, dental, and psychological exams. Each adult is also interviewed about their job skills so they can be placed in a new location with a job that makes sense....
Sometimes it’s easier for a person to keep their first name, so they always answer when they’re called and they don’t have to fully change their signature. They can choose their new last name, but it must be unrelated to their life—so no family members’ maiden names—and make sense ethnically.
They include things like birth certificates and driver’s licenses. Witnesses also receive new Social Security numbers and legalized name changes. Kids get school records copied in their new name—and though some parents wanted these records subtly improved, Shur refused. The program ensures that furnished houses, schools, and even religious institut...
- Meredith Danko
My WitSec Inspector has informed me that they’ve essentially shut down that operation and the threat against me should be minimal if they’re convicted. There is an 89% conviction rate when it comes to testimonies from witnesses in the program. So I’m feeling good about it.
The Witness Security Program has successfully protected approximately 19,000 participants–including innocent victim-witnesses and cooperating defendants and their dependent family members – from intimidation and retribution since the program began in 1971.
The federal Witness Security Program, known by the acronym WITSEC, provides witnesses and their families with protective services to ensure their health, safety, and security. (18 U.S.C. § 3521.) Administered by the U.S. Marshall Service, the program began in 1971 and has protected over 18,000 witnesses and their family members since then.
Oct 24, 2024 · A witness protection program is a government service designed to protect persons whose lives are endangered as a result of their testimony in a criminal investigation or prosecution.
