Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records, 29170-29171 [E6-7571]

Agencies

• Department of Justice

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 97 (Friday, May 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29170-29171]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7571]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

[AAG/A ORDER NO. 007-2006]


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

    Pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 
552a), notice is given that the Department of Justice (DOJ), Justice 
Management Division (JMD), Asset Forfeiture Management Staff is 
enhancing and upgrading its asset-forfeiture program-wide system of 
records, entitled ``Department of Justice Consolidated Asset Tracking 
System (CATS), Justice/JMD-022.'' CATS is the Department of Justice 
system designated as the system of records for property seized for 
forfeiture.
    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) and (11), the public is 
given a 30-day period in which to comment on the routine uses; and the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which has oversight 
responsibility under the Act, requires a 40-day period in which to 
conclude its review of the system. Therefore, please submit any 
comments by June 28, 2006. The public, OMB, and the Congress are 
invited to submit any comments to Mary Cahill; U.S. Department of 
Justice; Management and Planning Staff; 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
National Place Building, Suite 1400; Washington, DC 20530.
    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(r), the Department has provided a 
report to OMB and the Congress.

    Dated: May 11, 2006.
Paul R. Corts,
Assistant Attorney General for Administration.
JUSTICE/JMD-022

System Name
    Department of Justice Consolidated Asset Tracking System (CATS).

Security Classification:
    Sensitive-But-Unclassified (SBU).

System Location
    U.S. Department of Justice, Asset Forfeiture Management Staff, 
Washington, D.C. 20530.

Categories of Individuals Covered by the System
    The system covers persons involved with the ownership of or claims 
upon property seized for forfeiture under specified Federal statutes 
and law enforcement policies, including owners, individuals possessing 
or controlling the property, other parties provided notification of the 
seizure, lienholders, parties filing claims in contest of the seizure, 
petitioners, U.S. Attorneys, investigative agents and contractors of 
the Federal Government.

Categories of Records in the System
    Name, address, phone number, Social Security number, and other 
identifying information of persons referenced in records pertaining to 
the administration, seizure, custody, notification, claim, petition, 
forfeiture, disposal, equitable sharing, official use, income and 
expenses, service of process, and abandonment of property seized for 
forfeiture.

Authority for Maintenance of the System
    28 U.S.C. 524(c); 44 U.S.C. 3101.

Purpose of the System
    CATS supports the Federal Government participants in Department of 
Justice's (DOJ) Asset Forfeiture Program by meeting their operational 
and management reporting needs for all phases of the asset forfeiture 
life-cycle including the following major business processes: seizure of 
forfeitable assets; transfer and custody of seized assets; automation 
of legal notification and publication requirements; receipt and 
processing of claims contesting the government's grounds for 
forfeiture; petition receipt and processing; litigation and 
administrative proceedings culminating in asset forfeiture, disposal, 
and equitable sharing.
    CATS is an inventory database which stores and processes asset 
forfeiture data maintained by the Department of Justice (DOJ). Some of 
the data are owned by other agencies of the Federal Government, and DOJ 
serves as custodian for the data.

Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including Categories 
of Users and the Purposes of Such Uses:
    Relevant CATS data may be disclosed as follows:
    (1) Law enforcement information may be disclosed to any criminal, 
civil, or regulatory law enforcement authority (whether Federal, state, 
local, territorial, tribal, or foreign) where the information is 
relevant to the recipient entity(s law enforcement responsibilities.
    (2) Where a record, either on its face or in conjunction with other 
information, indicates a violation or potential violation of law--
criminal, civil, or regulatory in nature--the relevant records may be 
referred to the appropriate Federal, state, local, foreign, or tribal, 
law enforcement authority or other appropriate agency charged with the 
responsibility of investigating or prosecuting such a violation or 
enforcing or implementing such law.

[[Page 29171]]

    Relevant information may be disclosed:
    (3) To contractors, grantees, experts, consultants, students, and 
others performing or working on a contract, service, grant, cooperative 
agreement, or other assignment for the Federal Government, when 
necessary to accomplish an agency function related to this system of 
records.
    (4) To a former employee of the Department for purposes of: 
responding to an official inquiry by a Federal, state, or local 
government entity or professional licensing authority, in accordance 
with applicable Department regulations; or facilitating communications 
with a former employee that may be necessary for personnel-related or 
other official purposes where the Department requires information and/
or consultation assistance from the former employee regarding a matter 
within that person(s former area of responsibility.
    (5) To a Member of Congress or staff acting upon the Member's 
behalf when the Member or staff requests the information on behalf of, 
and at the request of, the individual who is the subject of the record.
    (6) To the National Archives and Records Administration for 
purposes of records management inspections conducted under the 
authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.

Disclosure to Consumer Reporting Agencies:
    Not Applicable.

Policies and Practices for Storing, Retrieving, Accessing, Retaining, 
and Disposing of Records in the System:
Storage:
    Records are stored in electronic form and on paper.

Retrievability:
    Information is retrieved by unique asset identifiers, to include 
names of individuals (if applicable), Social Security Numbers and Tax 
Identification Numbers.

Safeguards:
    Information in this system is safeguarded in accordance with 
applicable rules and policies, including the Department's automated 
systems security and access policies. In general, records and technical 
equipment are maintained in buildings with restricted access. The 
required use of password protection identification features and other 
system protection methods also restrict access. Access is limited to 
those who have an official need for access to perform their official 
duties.

Retention and Disposal:
    There are over 820,000 records stored in the system. A request for 
Records Disposition Authority is pending with the National Archives and 
Records Administration.

System Manager and Address:
    Assistant Director of Systems (CATS), Asset Forfeiture Management 
Staff, Justice Management Division, Department of Justice, 20 
Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20530

Notification Procedures:
    Address inquiries to System Manager named above.

Record Access Procedures:
    Requests for access must be in writing and should be addressed to 
the System Manager named above. The envelope and letter should be 
clearly marked ``Privacy Act Access Request.''
    The request should include a general description of the records 
sought and must include the requester's full name, current address, and 
date and place of birth. The request must be signed and dated and 
either notarized or submitted under penalty of perjury.

Contesting Record Procedures:
    Individuals desiring to contest or amend the information maintained 
in the system should direct their request according to the Records 
Access procedures and to the System Manager listed above, stating 
clearly and concisely what information is being contested, the reasons 
for contesting it, and the proposed amendment to the information 
sought.

Record Source Categories:
    Sources of information contained in these systems include DOJ and 
other Federal Agencies participating in the DOJ Asset Forfeiture 
Program.

Exemptions Claimed for the System:
    None.
[FR Doc. E6-7571 Filed 5-18-06; 8:45 am]
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