# Witness protection program **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 22, 2012, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witness-protection-program/619643 "2012-04-22T23:45:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nom\_de\_Plume](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/85f322/32.png) [@Nom\_de\_Plume](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nom_de_Plume)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witness-protection-program/619643/1 "2012-04-22T23:45:46Z")
I would assume that there are more people in Hollywood’s version of the federal witness protection program than in the actual one, but there must really be one. If so, how long do people tend to stay in it? Until the trial is over? If longer, do the feds eventually just leave the folks alone in their new lives, or do they actively work to maintain their cover? If anyone has first-hand knowledge, trust me, I can keep a secret. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witness-protection-program/619643/2 "2012-04-23T00:31:35Z")
We have done this one a number of times. The Federal Witness Protection program is real and exists for good reason. That doesn’t mean it is a free pass to do anything you want nor does it mean that some people don’t drop out due to the restrictions placed upon them. It can be for life however. See these threads: > **[How Does Witness Protection Work?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=625927)** > > I’ve become curious (thanks to, of all things, the current Mary Worth storyline) about just how Witness Protection works. Do protected witnesses just “disappear” from their old lives? Do they fake their deaths? Are adult PW allowed to tell their... > **[Can you sue someone that has been relocated into the Witness Protection Program?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=523585)** > > Wikipedia describes the United States Federal Witness Protection Program as: The program often does this by providing witnesses with a new identity that cannot be traced back to their old one. Some of these witnesses are criminals themselves and... > **[How safe am I in the Witness Protection Program?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=453787)** > > How safe would I feel in the WPP? How many people that work for the WPP have access to the relocation records? If I had a mob bounty on my head, I don’t think I would feel safe at all. I mean it is fine moving me to Arkansas and changing my name... > **[Protection of the witness' identity in trial - miscarriage of justice?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=308011)** > > Is the concealing of the identity of a witness in a trial just? The concerns about the difficulty of getting people to come forward to give evidence seem very valid to me, and I think that giving them anonimity is a great way to get more witnesses to... ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witness-protection-program/619643/3 "2012-04-23T02:20:50Z")
**Shagnasty** , did you search for those threads or just happen to keep them handy in case someone asks this question? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witness-protection-program/619643/4 "2012-04-23T03:36:26Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > We have done this one a number of times. The Federal Witness Protection program is real and exists for good reason. That doesn’t mean it is a free pass to do anything you want nor does it mean that some people don’t drop out due to the restrictions placed upon them. It can be for life however. > > See these threads: > > [How Does Witness Protection Work? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=625927) > [Can you sue someone that has been relocated into the Witness Protection Program? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=523585) > [How safe am I in the Witness Protection Program? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=453787) > [Protection of the witness' identity in trial - miscarriage of justice? - Great Debates - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=308011) We’ve done the “We’ve done this” a number of times already. In the future, it’s best to use the search function to see if we’ve previously reminded people to use the search function when using the search function search function function. > **[what's your stripper name?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=646237)** > > Name of first pet + Name of street where you grew up > **[Yeah, I guess it's been a while since we've done this... (Tuba being an ass)](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=461720)** > > Again. By insulting the customers unnecessarily. Again. At least they’re eliminating pay to post so we don’t have to contribute to her paycheck any longer. > **[Kennedy & "I'm a Berliner": I KNOW we've done this](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=267491)** > > But I couldn’t find it. Links anyone? [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=639400&page=2](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=639400&page=2) ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witness-protection-program/619643/5 "2012-04-23T03:59:30Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > We’ve done the “We’ve done this” a number of times already. In the future, it’s best to use the search function to see if we’ve previously reminded people to use the search function when using the search function search function function. > > [what's your stripper name? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=646237) > [Yeah, I guess it's been a while since we've done this... (Tuba being an ass) - The BBQ Pit - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=461720) > [Kennedy & "I'm a Berliner": I KNOW we've done this - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=267491) > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=639400&page=2](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=639400&page=2) I am not sure I understand the joke or insinuation. I wasn’t criticizing anyone for not knowing previous threads on this existed. However, in GQ, the fastest way to get an answer is to provide previous threads on the same subject. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witness-protection-program/619643/6 "2012-04-23T04:21:41Z")
J slash K. J slash K. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witness-protection-program/619643/7 "2012-04-23T20:18:14Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > We’ve done the “We’ve done this” a number of times already. In the future, it’s best to use the search function to see if we’ve previously reminded people to use the search function when using the search function search function function. **Moderator Note** **drastic quench** , I’m not sure what your point is. If you don’t have useful information to provide in General Questions, then kindly refrain from posting nonsense like this. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witness-protection-program/619643/8 "2012-04-23T21:52:30Z")
Hmm, we’re going out with another couple this weekend and the husband is a US Marshall. I usually ask him about protecting judges and tracking down escapees but now I have a whole new field of inquiries to ask him about. If he’ll tell me anything.