PDD-71

Text: Summary of Presidential Decision Directive 71

(The Secretary of State briefed on this Feb. 24) (710)

Presidential Decision Directive (PDD) 71, released at the State
Department by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright February 24, deals
with strengthening criminal justice systems in support of U.S. peace
operations "and other complex contingencies."

A summary of the directives contained in PDD 71 is broken down into
four sections related to:

improving the capacities of the U.S. Government to respond to criminal
justice aspects of peace operations and other complex contingencies;

improving the response capacities of other organizations;

improving the capacities of other countries to respond to criminal
justice aspects of peace operations and other complex contingencies;
and

improving operational actitivities.

Following is the State Department text:

(begin text)

Presidential Decision Directive 71: Strengthening Criminal Justice
Systems In Support of Peace Operations and Other Complex Contingencies

Summary of Directives

Improve the capacities of the U.S. Government to respond to criminal
justice aspects of peace operations and other complex contingencies:

-- Create a lead office within the lead agency, the Department of
State, and an interagency working group to coordinate U.S. efforts in
this area.

-- Enhance the U.S. capacity to provide civilian police (CIVPOL) to
field operations:

-- Improve U.S. recruitment/training to support Standby Arrangements
and speed deployments.

-- Develop mechanisms to improve the discipline and accountability of
U.S. CIVPOL.

-- Develop enhanced training programs that incorporate all aspects of
service in a field mission.

-- Include federal law enforcement officers in the pool of potential
CIVPOL officers.

-- Enhance the ability of the U.S. to provide training/development
assistance to foreign police in support of peace operations.

-- The Secretary of State and Attorney General will prepare a plan for
doing so to include, inter alia, broadening and strengthening the
capacity of the Department of Justice's International Criminal
Investigative Training and Assistance Program (ICITAP) to engage in
long-range planning, to provide training, and coordinate efforts with
CIVPOL.

Create an interagency partnership in judicial, penal and legal code
development assistance for post-conflict areas.

-- Assistance will be coordinated by the Department of State.

-- The Attorney General and the Agency for International Development
(AID) will establish a partnership to improve U.S. capacity to develop
and ensure delivery of rapid response assistance (e.g., contingency
planning, emergency assistance programs).

Improve the Response Capacities of Other Organizations:

-- Efforts should focus on improving both United Nations' and regional
organizations' capacities for conducting civilian police missions and
supporting criminal justice development activities.

-- Promote greater emphasis on all matters related to criminal justice
(to include justice and penal system issues), including by providing
U.S. experts to assist these organizations.

-- Fully integrate criminal justice matters with peacekeeping
functions, in recognition of the fact that peacekeeping will be
effective only if criminal justice capabilities exist to enforce the
rule of law.

-- Develop adequate criminal justice planning capacities and integrate
these planners in pre-mission assessment teams established by the
United Nations and regional organizations.

-- Establish a means to transition longer-term aspects of criminal
justice development once the peacekeeping phase of operations is
finished.

-- Advocate the deployment in peace operations of the appropriate mix
of military and paramilitary forces as well as police and other
constabulary units, as necessary.

Improve the Capacities of Other Countries to Respond to Criminal
Justice Aspects of Peace Operations and Other Complex Contingencies:

-- Identify means for providing specialized pre-deployment training to
foreign CIVPOL and constabulary units.

Improving Operational Activities:

-- Enhance CIVPOL operational-level headquarters by ensuring they have
the ability to conduct current operations, plan future operations,
collect and assess intelligence, conduct sustainment activities, and
provide appropriate liaison with host state and other actors, as well
as by integrating responsibility for coordination of all criminal
justice reform efforts.

-- Improve coordination and synchronization with military operations,
including through co-location of forces, as appropriate.

-- Enhance CIVPOL competence.

-- Potential organizing agencies (U.N., regional organizations) should
develop specific job descriptions and other standards to speed
recruitment and ensure the appropriate specialists are represented.

-- Advocate highest recruiting standards as well as evaluation and
improved disciplinary mechanisms.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: usinfo.state.gov)