These agencies also use administrative tools, such as standardized forms, that cover the requirements in their policies and help ensure that agents capture necessary information. Such monitoring activities include supervisory reviews, as well as headquarters inspections and self-inspections within the field offices. The DOJ and DHS components that oversaw the most informants in fiscal year 2013-the FBI, DEA, ICE, and USSS-have monitoring processes in place to help ensure that agents are complying with their respective components' policies. Without such documentation, if an informant engages in an activity that exceeds the scope of the authorization, the agency may not be able to demonstrate that the informant's actions were not authorized, thereby limiting the agency's ability to prosecute the informant for the unauthorized illegal activity. DEA, USMS, ICE, USCG, and USSS do not fully address the requirements to provide the informant with written instructions about the authorized activity and require signed acknowledgment from the informant. For example, the Guidelines require agencies to document certain information when authorizing an informant to participate in an activity that would otherwise be considered illegal (e.g., purchasing illegal drugs from someone who is the target of a drug-trafficking investigation). However, five of the eight components' policies are not fully consistent with the Guidelines' provisions for overseeing informants' illegal activities.

Secret Service (USSS)-have policies in place that generally address the procedures outlined in the Guidelines for vetting a confidential informant. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) the U.S. Eight components within DOJ and DHS-the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives the U.S. Some components within the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) do not fully address procedures outlined in The Attorney General's Guidelines (the Guidelines)-which established procedures to help ensure that components exercise their authorities regarding the use of informants appropriately and with adequate oversight.

Confidential informant list