U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

 

Audit Report

 

Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies

Administered by the Osage Tribal Council

Grant Number 97-WE-VX-0043

 

GR-80-99-007

 

March 5, 1999

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Office of the Inspector General, Audit Division, has completed an audit of the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies, grant number 97-WE-VX-0043, administered by the Osage Tribal Council. The $301,844 grant was for the period March 1, 1997, through August 31, 1998. This audit was conducted at the request of the Office of Justice Progams.

On September 17, 1997, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit decided Fletcher v. United States, 116 F. 3d 1315 (10th Cir. 1997). This decision recognized the Council as the valid entity for the Osage Tribe (Tribe). As a result of the ruling, the Violence Against Women Grants Office must deobligate grant funds to the Osage Nation and re-award the remaining grant funds to the Osage Tribal Council.

Personnel changes resulting from the court ruling, we believe, impeded the Tribe’s ability to execute the grant. As of February 12, 1999, the Tribe had not developed a detailed plan for accomplishing the grant goals. In addition, we identified the following weaknesses with regard to the Tribe meeting grant conditions.

These weaknesses are discussed in the Findings and Recommendations section of this report. Our audit scope and methodology are described in Appendix I.

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