NCJ Number
237046
Date Published
October 2011
Length
1 page
Annotation
This Office of Justice Programs (OJP) fact sheet provides information on the Federal Government's response to identity theft.
Abstract
In response to the increase of identity theft cases, Congress passed the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998, which made identity theft a Federal offense. During the past decade, most States have passed legislation to impose criminal sanctions for identify theft. The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) launched the Identity Theft Victim Assistance Networks Program in 2010, a national training and technical assistance program to establish collaborative regional, statewide, or community coalitions dedicated to improving the response to victims of identity theft. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) collects data on identity theft victimization through the National Crime Victimization Survey. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) sponsored a 2005 Identity Theft Literature Review, which using scientific studies and other sources, assessed what was known about identity theft and what further research was needed. The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has focused its efforts on raising awareness and providing training for prosecutors and other law enforcement officials. In addition to the efforts of OJP's components listed above, the Department of Justice is aggressively investigating and prosecuting crimes that facilitate or constitute identity theft through its Criminal Division, the FBI, the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, and other components and law enforcement partners.