In 1999, Judge William Webster issued a report on his review of CI's operations (Review of the Internal Revenue Services Criminal Investigation Division (Publ. 338; 4-1999)) and concluded that CI had drifted away from its primary mission of investigating criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code. Judge Webster recommended that CI refocus on its primary mission of investigating criminal violations of the internal revenue laws.

CI has since addressed many of the Webster Report concerns by creating a revised mission statement, developing a compliance strategy designed to guide the function to develop and investigate cases that foster confidence in the tax system, reducing the resources placed on drug-related investigations, publicizing the results of its investigations, and conducting an empirical study to determine the effect investigations have on voluntary compliance. CI now seeks to emphasize the importance of developing and investigating those cases that have the greatest effect on tax administration, whether the sources of income in those investigations are derived from legal or illegal activities.

What do you think CI's mission should be? How much of the CI focus should be on non-tax crimes?