United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division facts for kids
Seal of the United States Department of Justice
|
|
| Division overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | December 9, 1957 |
| Jurisdiction | United States government agency |
| Headquarters | Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C., United States |
| Annual budget | $162 million (2015) |
| Division executives |
|
| Parent department | U.S. Department of Justice |
The Civil Rights Division is a special part of the United States Department of Justice. Its main job is to make sure everyone in the United States is treated fairly. This means they work to stop discrimination, which is when someone is treated badly because of their race, gender, disability, religion, or where they come from.
This division was created a long time ago, on December 9, 1957. It was set up after a very important law called the Civil Rights Act of 1957 was passed. This law helped create the role of the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, who leads the division. In 2021, Kristen Clarke made history by becoming the first woman to hold this important position.
Contents
How the Civil Rights Division Works
The Civil Rights Division is led by an Assistant Attorney General. This person is chosen by the President and approved by the Senate. They oversee many different sections, each focusing on a specific area of civil rights.
What are the Different Sections?
The division has several teams that handle different types of civil rights issues:
- Appellate Section: Handles appeals in court cases.
- Coordination and Review Section: Makes sure different parts of the government follow civil rights laws.
- Criminal Section: Deals with crimes that violate civil rights.
- Disability Rights Section: Protects the rights of people with disabilities.
- Educational Opportunities Section: Works to ensure fair education for all students.
- Employment Litigation Section: Handles cases about fair treatment at work.
- Housing and Civil Enforcement Section: Deals with fair housing and other civil rights issues.
- Immigrant and Employee Rights Section: Protects the rights of immigrants and workers.
- Policy & Strategy Section: Helps plan how the division will work.
- Special Litigation Section: Handles large, complex cases, often involving public institutions.
- Voting Section: Protects the right to vote for all eligible citizens.
What Laws Does the Division Enforce?
The Civil Rights Division makes sure many important laws are followed. These laws protect people from unfair treatment. Here are some of the key laws they enforce:
- Civil Rights Acts (1957, 1960, 1964, 1968): These laws stop discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. They cover things like voting, public places, jobs, and housing.
- Voting Rights Act of 1965: This law protects everyone's right to vote, especially people of color who faced barriers in the past.
- Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974: This law makes sure banks and lenders treat everyone fairly when they apply for loans or credit.
- Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: This law protects people with disabilities from discrimination. It ensures they have equal access to jobs, public places, transportation, and more.
- National Voter Registration Act of 1993: This law makes it easier for people to register to vote.
- Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009: This law helps prosecute crimes committed because of someone's race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.
- Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986: This law helps military members and citizens living abroad vote.
- Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984: This law makes sure voting places are accessible for older people and those with disabilities.
- Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act of 1980: This law allows the government to help people who are in public institutions, like nursing homes or prisons, if their rights are being violated.
- Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994: This law protects people from violence or threats when they are going to or from a clinic.
- Police Misconduct Provision of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994: This law allows the government to investigate police departments for patterns of misconduct.
- Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000: This law protects religious freedom, especially for people in institutions and for religious groups using land.
- Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993: This law helps protect people's right to practice their religion freely.
- Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (Section 102): This part of the law stops discrimination based on where someone is from or their citizenship status when it comes to jobs.
The division also works on criminal cases to protect people's freedom and safety.
Images for kids
-
Drew S. Days III was the first African-American Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.
