The United States Department of Justice Criminal Division is a federal agency of the United States Department of Justice that develops, enforces, and supervises the application of all federal criminal laws in the United States. Criminal Division attorneys prosecute many nationally significant cases and formulate and implement criminal enforcement policy. Division attorneys also provide advice and guidance to the Attorney General of the United States, the United States Congress, and the White House on matters of criminal law. The Division was founded in 1919.

Leadership

The Criminal Division is headed by an Assistant Attorney General, appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the Senate. Kenneth Polite was appointed by President Joe Biden and sworn in as Assistant Attorney General on July 21, 2021. Nicholas McQuaid was appointed Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General on January 20, 2021, and served as Acting Assistant Attorney General until Polite's confirmation. Polite's tenure ended on July 28, 2023 after it was announced he would step down to enter the private sector.

Organization

The Criminal Division is headed by an Assistant Attorney General, who is a political appointee. The Assistant Attorney General is assisted by six Deputy Assistant Attorneys General, who are career attorneys, who each oversee two or more of the Criminal Division's 16 sections. The Division does not supervise the 94 U.S. Attorney's Offices.

Reorganization

The Criminal Division's Counterterrorism and Counterespionage Sections were transferred to the newly created United States Department of Justice National Security Division in 2006.