# Justice Manual § 9-110.200: RICO Guidelines Preface

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.200

## Section

- **Citation:** Justice Manual § 9-110.200
- **Heading:** RICO Guidelines Preface
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** DOJ Justice Manual / Title 9: Criminal / 9-110.000 - Organized Crime And Racketeering / Justice Manual § 9-110.200

## Text

The decision to institute a federal criminal prosecution involves balancing society's interest in effective law enforcement against the consequences for the accused. Utilization of the RICO statute, more so than most other federal criminal sanctions, requires particularly careful and reasoned application, because, among other things, RICO incorporates certain state crimes. One purpose of these guidelines is to reemphasize the principle that the primary responsibility for enforcing state laws rests with the state concerned. Despite the broad statutory language of RICO and the legislative intent that the statute ". . . shall be liberally construed to effectuate its remedial purpose," it is the policy of the Criminal Division that RICO be selectively and uniformly used. It is the purpose of these guidelines to make it clear that not every proposed RICO charge that meets the technical requirements of a RICO violation will be approved. Further, the Criminal Division will not approve "imaginative" prosecutions under RICO which are far afield from the congressional purpose of the RICO statute. A RICO count which merely duplicates the elements of proof of traditional Hobbs Act, Travel Act, mail fraud, wire fraud, gambling or controlled substances cases, will not be approved unless it serves some special RICO purpose. Only in exceptional circumstances will approval be granted when RICO is sought merely to serve some evidentiary purpose.

These guidelines provide only internal Department of Justice guidance. They are not intended to, do not, and may not be relied upon to create any rights, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law by any party in any matter civil or criminal. Nor are any limitations hereby placed on otherwise lawful litigative prerogatives of the Department of Justice.

[updated October 2016]

[cited in
JM 9-110.101
;
JM 9-110.811
]

## Nearby sections

- [Justice Manual § 9-110.010 Introduction](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.010.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-110.100 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.100.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-110.101 Division Approval](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.101.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-110.200 RICO Guidelines Preface](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.200.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-110.210 Authorization of RICO Prosecution—The Review Process](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.210.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-110.300 RICO Guidelines Policy](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.300.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-110.310 Considerations Prior to Seeking Indictment](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.310.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-110.320 Approval of Violent Crime and Racketeering Section Necessary](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.320.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-110.330 Charging RICO Counts](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.330.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-110.400 RICO Prosecution (Pros) Memorandum Format](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.400.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-110.800 Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering Activity (18 U.S.C. § 1959)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.800.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-110.801 Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (18 U.S.C. § 1959)—Division Approval](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.801.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-110.802 Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (18 U.S.C. § 1959)—Approval Guidelines](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.802.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-110.811 The Review Process for Authorization under Section 1959](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.811.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-110.200. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.