The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG) today released the OIG’s annual report identifying the top management and performance challenges facing the Department of Justice (Department). This year’s report identifies and discusses seven areas that the OIG believes represent the most pressing concerns for the Department. They are:
- Addressing the Persisting Crisis in the Federal Prison System
- Safeguarding National Security Consistent with Civil Rights and Liberties
- Enhancing Cybersecurity in an Era of Ever-Increasing Threats
- Effectively Implementing Performance-Based Management
- Ensuring Effective and Efficient Oversight of Law Enforcement Programs
- Upholding the Highest Standards of Integrity and Public Service
- Protecting Taxpayer Funds from Mismanagement and Misuse
In the cover memorandum to the report, the Inspector General stated that, while the challenges are not ranked in order of importance, “the federal prison crisis, safeguarding national security, and enhancing cybersecurity are challenges in three critical areas that will continue to occupy much of the Department’s attention and require its sustained focus for the foreseeable future.” In addition, one of the challenges – Effectively Implementing Performance-Based Management – offers the Department the opportunity to realize improvements and positive results across the spectrum of its programs and operations. Meeting this challenge will require the Department to use accurate and reliable data, develop results-oriented measurements, and adopt a data-driven analytical approach in its evaluation of program performance. Inspector General Horowitz stated: “the effective implementation by the Department of performance-based management will enhance its ability to achieve its strategic management objectives and address its most salient challenges.”
The OIG’s report, which was transmitted to the Department last month and released pursuant to statute Friday as part of the Department’s Agency Financial Report, is intended to assist the Department in enhancing its operations and prioritizing its efforts to improve them. The challenges are identified based on the OIG’s oversight work, research, and judgment. The OIG has prepared similar reports since 1998.
The report can be found on the OIG’s website at: http://www.justice.gov/oig/challenges/2014.htm.