The U.S. Marshals Service provides 24-hour protection to all witnesses while they are in a high-threat environment, including trials and other court appearances. Witnesses and their families typically get new identities with documentation.

The U.S. Marshals Service operates the federal Witness Security Program, sometimes referred to as the "Witness Protection Program". This Factsheet is an overview about the program.

The Witness Security Program has successfully protected approximately 19,250 participants – including innocent victim-witnesses and cooperating defendants and their dependent family members – from intimidation and retribution since the program began in 1971.

The program is operated by the United States Marshals Service and is designed to protect threatened witnesses and their family members before, during, and after a trial when those witnesses have an association with the federal government.

This chapter also provides information concerning the investigative use, or targeting, of persons who are in the custody of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) or the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), or who are under BOP supervision.

The U.S. Marshals Service operates the federal Witness Security Program, sometimes referred to as the “Witness Protection Program.” WITSEC provides for the security, safety, and health of government witnesses and their authorized family members, whose lives are in danger as. a result of their cooperation with the U.S. government.

Since inception of the WITSEC Program in 1970, the USMS has protected, relocated, and given new identities to more than 7,500 witnesses and more than 9,600 family members or associates.1 The USMS devoted $59.7 million and 173 staff positions …

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) provides security to the federal judiciary and manages the witness security program. It manages and sells seized or forfeited assets of criminals, is responsible for the confinement and transportation of federal prisoners who have not been turned over to the Bureau of Prisons and is the primary federal agency ...

The federal witness protection program in the United States, known as the Witness Security Program (WITSEC), is overseen by the U.S. Marshals Service, America’s oldest federal law enforcement agency. WITSEC was authorized under Title V of the Organized Crime Control Act (OCCA) of 1970.

The duties of the U.S. Marshals Service include protecting the federal judiciary, apprehending federal fugitives, managing and selling seized assets acquired by criminals through illegal activities, housing and transporting federal prisoners and operating the Witness Security Program.