Deborah Daniels
Assistant Attorney General
United States Department of Justice

Deborah J. Daniels was nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on September 21, 2001 as the Assistant Attorney General (AAG) for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), U.S. Department of Justice. She has a long and distinguished career in criminal prosecution on both the local and federal levels, as well as a background in community economic development and neighborhood revitalization.

Ms. Daniels is responsible for overall management and oversight of OJP; guides the development of OJP policy and priorities; promotes coordination among the five OJP Bureaus and four program offices; and ensures that OJP policies and programs reflect the priorities of the President, the Attorney General, and the Congress.

OJP provides federal leadership to develop the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime; administer justice; assist crime victims; and improve the criminal and juvenile justice systems. OJP carries out this mission by forming partnerships with other federal, state, and local agencies, as well as national and community-based organizations. Information about OJP, its bureaus and offices, grant programs, publications, and research initiatives, is located on the OJP website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov.

Ms. Daniels served in the 1980s as Chief Counsel to the Marion County (Indianapolis), Indiana prosecuting attorney, in which capacity she tried felony cases of all types and supervised grand jury operations as well as prosecutions of domestic violence, sex offenses, child abuse, and adult dependent abuse and exploitation.

As United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana from 1988-1993, she successfully pursued several high-profile public corruption and drug importation/distribution cases, as well as initiating the Weed and Seed effort in Indianapolis. During her tenure as United States Attorney, Ms. Daniels accepted a detail to serve under the Deputy Attorney General as the first Director of the Executive Office for Weed and Seed. She later headed a not-for-profit organization in Indianapolis responsible for developing partnerships among the public, private and not-for-profit sectors and neighborhood leaders.

During this time she took the lead in developing transitional housing for victims of domestic violence, and establishing a network to promote greater understanding among diverse ethnic groups in the community. She also engaged in private law practice in Indianapolis, while serving her community through membership on various not-for-profit boards as well as providing pro bono legal services to individuals and community organizations.

She received a BA with honors from DePauw University and graduated cum laude from the Indiana University School of Law.