Janet Reno (born July 21, 1938) was the 78th Attorney General of the United States (1993-2001), and was the first woman to hold that post. She was nominated by President Bill Clinton on February 11, 1993 and confirmed on March 11.

Reno's father, Henry Reno (original surname Rasmussen), immigrated to the United States from Denmark and for forty-three years was a police reporter for the Miami Herald. Jane Wood, Reno's mother, raised her children and then became an investigative reporter for the Miami News. At a conference on criminality on March 31, 2006, Reno said that her mother built the Reno family house on the edge of the Everglades, digging the foundation with her own hands, and installing all of the wiring and plumbing. Reno's father helped with the heavy work when he came home from work at night. The house withstood Hurricane Andrew, an experience that left an important mark on Reno's outlook on life: Reno said that the experience taught her that if communities are built with the right materials, instilling values such as discipline, these communities can be made strong and can prevent or withstand violence. Janet Reno has three younger siblings. She is the sister of columnist Robert Reno, and aunt to model Hunter Reno. She was one of two Danish Americans in the cabinet, the other being Lloyd Bentsen.

Reno attended public school in Miami-Dade County, Florida, where she was a debating champion at Coral Gables High School. In 1956 Reno enrolled at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where she majored in chemistry, lived in Balch Hall, became president of the Women's Self-Government Association, and earned her room and board.

In 1960 Reno enrolled at Harvard Law School, one of only sixteen women in a class of more than 500 students. She received her LL.B. from Harvard three years later. She had difficulty obtaining work as a lawyer.

In 1971 Reno was named staff director of the Judiciary Committee of the Florida House of Representatives. She helped revise the Florida court system. In 1973 she accepted a position with the Dade County State's Attorney's Office. Disputes over Reno's own sexual orientation began with her days as county prosecutor in Miami, becoming a major part of Republican opponent Jack Thompson's campaign against her, who demanded to know her sexual orientation. She left the state's attorney's office in 1976 to become a partner in a private law firm.

In 1978, Reno was appointed State Attorney for Dade County (now called Miami-Dade County). She was elected to the Office of State Attorney in November 1978 and was returned to office by the voters four more times. She helped reform the juvenile justice system and pursued delinquent fathers for child support payments and established the Miami Drug Court.

In 1993 Reno was nominated and confirmed Attorney General under Bill Clinton, after both of his previous nominees, Zoe Baird and Kimba Wood, had confirmation problems when it was revealed both had previously employed illegal immigrants as nannies. Reno remained Attorney General for all of Clinton's presidency, outlasting most other United States Cabinet members.

During her term, Reno attracted more controversy than any of Clinton's other cabinet members. While Clinton could steer a middle ground between his Democratic supporters and the Republican Congress on economic issues, Reno's job was at the center of a variety of intractable cultural conflicts. This made her a lightning rod for criticism of the Clinton Administration from the right, who often perceived the federal government as a threat to their fundamental freedoms.

In 1995 Reno revealed that she has Parkinson's disease, an incurable degenerative illness that causes muscular stiffness and involuntary trembling.

Reno ran for Governor of Florida in 2002, but lost in the Democratic primary to Bill McBride. Voting problems arose in the election, and she did not concede defeat until a week later. She has since retired from public life.

Priorities for Reno as Attorney General

• Reduce crime and violence by incarcerating serious, repeat offenders and finding alternative forms of punishment for first time, non-violent offenders.
• Focus on prevention and early intervention efforts to keep children away from gangs, drugs and violence and on the road to strong, healthy and self-sufficient lives.
• Enforce civil rights laws to ensure equal opportunity for all Americans.
• Ensure that the Department of Justice reflects a diverse government, making integrity, excellence and professionalism the hallmarks of the Department.

Controversies for Reno as Attorney General

• The Branch Davidian standoff and fire in Waco, Texas
• Seizing and deporting Elian Gonzalez before the matter could be resolved in court .
• Refusing to appoint an Independent Council to investigate the campaign finance scandal against the suggestions of Justice Department investigator Charles LaBella and her FBI director, Louis Freeh.
• When she was the State Attorney for the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida in the early 1990s, Reno's office prosecuted Bobby Fijnje, who was acquitted of sexual abuse charges related to what some have called the sex abuse "witch hunts".
• Bringing suit against the software giant Microsoft for alleged violation of the Sherman Act.

Reno's Post-Political work

After her tenure as attorney general and her failed gubernatorial election bid, Reno tours the country giving speeches on topics relating to the criminal justice system. For example, on March 31st 2006 she spoke at a criminology conference held at the University of Pennsylvania. At this conference, she stated that she believes that the education system in this country needs to be improved, as there is a link between the quality of education and the crime rate. She also believes that too much money has been diverted away from the juvenile court system and believes that the government should find some way to make the juvenile courts work effectively so as to prevent problems in troubled children and adolescents before these problems are exacerbated by the time these adolescents reach adulthood.

Janet Reno in popular culture

Many comedians have made fun of Reno, characterizing her 6 ft 3 in figure as aggressive and masculine. This is perhaps best exemplified by Will Ferrell-s tough-talking, easily excited impersonation of Reno on Saturday Night Live. Reno has been a good sport and even appeared with Ferrell on the final installment of the recurring sketch "Janet Reno's Dance Party" in January 2001.

The lawyer show Ally McBeal also featured Janet Reno's character as Richard Fish's love interest.

Reno was portrayed in a South Park episode entitled "Quintuplets 2000", where she dressed up in a pink Easter Bunny suit to try and infiltrate Stan's home in order to assist the deportation of Romanian quintuplet girls who had defected back to their country.

She is also referenced in The Offspring song Original Prankster.