Organized Crime Control Act of 1970, Title V: Protected Facilities for Housing Government Witnesses, 84 Stat. 933-934

Title V of Public Law 91-452, “Protected Facilities for Housing Government Witnesses”, runs from page 933 to page 934 of volume 84. Section 501 reads: “The Attorney General of the United States is authorized to provide for the security of Government witnesses, potential Government witnesses, and the families of Government witnesses and potential witnesses in legal proceedings against any person alleged to have participated in an organized criminal activity.” (84 Stat. 933.)

Section 502 authorizes the Attorney General to rent, purchase, modify or remodel protected housing facilities, and otherwise to provide for the health, safety and welfare of such witnesses and their families, whenever testimony from, or a willingness to testify by, a witness would place the life or person of the witness or a family or household member in jeopardy. A witness may keep using the facilities for as long as the Attorney General determines the jeopardy continues. Section 503 defines “Government” to include the States and their subdivisions and allows the offer to be conditioned on reimbursement; section 504 authorizes appropriations.

The U.S. Marshals Service’s page says: “The Witness Security Program was authorized by the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 and amended by the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984.” It also gives figures for participants “since the program began in 1971”. The 1984 amending provisions were not read. The Supreme Court in H.J. Inc. v. Northwestern Bell (1989) contrasted RICO with this title, which expressly refers to organized criminal activity.