In April 2001, in response to our inquiry, NSC officials told us that the issue of international crime and the framework for the U.S. response were under review by the new administration. Nevertheless, several efforts have attempted to gauge the extent of and the threat posed by international crime to the United States and other countries. While the 1999 threat assessment was classified, a published version of the 2000 assessment provided various indicators or measures of international crime within five broad categories—(1) terrorism and drug trafficking; (2) illegal immigration, trafficking of women and children, and environmental crimes; (3) illicit transfer or trafficking of products across international borders; (4) economic trade crimes; and (5) financial crimes. One context involves efforts to eliminate the use of bribes in transnational business activities, such as government contracting. The strategy’s other context on public corruption involves rule of law assistance, which focuses on U.S. support for legal, judicial, and law enforcement reform efforts undertaken by foreign governments. Much of the technical assistance that the United States provides to other nations for fighting international crime involves training, particularly training at law enforcement academies established abroad. There are no standard measures of effectiveness to assess the federal government’s overall efforts to address international crime. Regarding international crime, Justice’s, Treasury’s, and State’s plans each have sections describing their efforts to combat specific types of crime, along with the performance measures to be tracked. In some cases, however, these measures do not adequately address effectiveness. U.S. efforts to combat public corruption internationally. The specific federal entities are the Departments of Justice, Treasury, and State; USAID; and their respective components. Examples of the Criminal Division’s workload related to international crime include   prosecuting cases involving international crime—such as organized crime, drug trafficking, money laundering, and international terrorism—often in cooperation with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices;   negotiating—in cooperation with State and other departments—and implementing bilateral and multilateral treaties with other countries, such as agreements for mutual legal assistance and maritime boarding agreements, and the recent United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime; and   providing training and other technical assistance to the law enforcement and justice sectors of foreign countries.
What GAO Found

International crimes, such as drugs and arms trafficking, terrorism, money laundering, and public corruption, transcend national borders and threaten global security and stability. The National Security Council (NSC) told GAO that international crime and the framework for the U.S. response are under review by the new administration. The extent of International crime is growing, but measuring its true extent is difficult. Several efforts have been made to gauge the threat posed to the United States and other countries by international crime. The 1999 threat assessment was classified, but a published version of the 2000 assessment divided the threat into the following five broad categories: (1) terrorism and drug trafficking; (2) illegal immigration, trafficking of women and children, and environmental crimes; (3) illicit transfer or trafficking of products across international borders; (4) economic trade crimes; and (5) financial crimes. NSC identified 34 federal entities with significant roles in fighting international crime. These included the Department of Justice, Treasury, and State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development. The efforts to combat public corruption internationally involves two strategies: the elimination of bribes in transnational business activities, such as government contracting, and the implementation of law assistance, which focuses on U.S. support for legal, judicial, and law enforcement reform efforts by foreign governments. Much of the technical assistance that the U.S. provides to other nations for fighting international crime involves training, particularly training at law enforcement academies established abroad. There are no standard measures of effectiveness to assess the federal government's overall efforts to address international crime. Justice's, Treasury's, and State's plans describe their efforts to combat specific types of crime, along with the performance measures to be tracked. In some cases, however, these measures do not adequately address effectiveness.