The Community Relations
Service (CRS) was established by Title X of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C
2000g et seq.). The mandate reads: § 2000g.
Establishment of Service; Director of Service; appointment, term; personnel
There is hereby established in and as part of the Department of [Justice] a
Community Relations Service (hereinafter referred to as the "Service"), which
shall be headed by a Director who shall be appointed by the President with the
advice and consent of the Senate for a term of four years. The Director is authorized
to appoint, subject to the civil service laws and regulations, such other personnel
as may be necessary to enable the Service to carry out its functions and duties,
and to fix their compensation in accordance with chapter 51 and subchapter III
of chapter 53 of Title 5. § 2000g-1. Functions
of Service It shall be the function of the Service to provide assistance
to communities and persons therein in resolving disputes, disagreements, or difficulties
relating to discriminatory practices based on race, color, or national origin
which impair the rights of persons in such communities under the Constitution
or laws of the United States or which affect or may affect interstate commerce.
The Service may offer its services in cases of such disputes, disagreements, or
difficulties whenever, in its judgement, peaceful relations among the citizens
of the community involved are threatened thereby, and it may offer its services
either upon its own motion or upon the request of an appropriate State or local
official or other interested person.
§
2000g-2. | Cooperation
with other agencies; conciliation assistance in confidence and without publicity;
information as confidential; restriction on performance of investigative or prosecution
functions; violations and penalties | (a) The
Service shall, whenever possible, in performing its functions, seek and utilize
the cooperation of appropriate State or local, public, or private agencies. (b)
The activities of all officers and employees of the Service in providing conciliation
assistance shall be conducted in confidence and without publicity, and the Service
shall hold confidential any information acquired in the regular performance of
its duties upon the understanding that it would be so held. No officer or employee
of the Service shall engage in the performance of investigative or prosecuting
functions of any department or agency in any litigation arising out of a dispute
in which he acted on behalf of the Service. Any officer or other employee of the
Service, who shall make public in any manner whatever any information in violation
of this subsection, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction
thereof, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than one year.
§ 2000g-3. Reports to Congress Subject to the provisions
of sections 2000a-4 and 2000g-2(b) of this title, the Director shall, on or before
January 31 of each year, submit to the Congress a report of the activities of
the Service during the preceding fiscal year. Pub.L 88-352, Title X, §
1001(a)- 1004, July 2, 1964, 78 Stat. 267; Pub.L. 95-624, § 5, Nov. 9, 1978,
92 Stat. 3462. Legislative History. 1964 U.S. Code Cong. And Adm. News, p. history
and purpose of Pub.L. 88-352, see 2355.
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