Nearly 25 percent of the U.S. Marshals assigned to the federal witness protection program have been cut in the past eight years, despite a growing number of witnesses being added to the program, according to a report from the Justice Department inspector general.

Additional problems cited in the report included low morale among the remaining marshals working in the program, largely because of low pay, and not requiring marshals to sign agreements that they would not disclose the details of their work with anyone.

“If the staffing level does not keep pace with the workload, the quality of services provided to program participants could decline unacceptably,” Inspector General Glenn A. Fine said.

For more information visit www.usdoj.gov/oig and www.usmarshals.gov