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The Federal Bureau of Prisons' Inmate Financial Responsibility Program
Report Number I-2000-023
September 2000

APPENDIX II

The Bureau of Prisons' Response to the Draft Report

U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Prisons


Office of the Director   Washington, DC 20534
September 22, 2000


MEMORANDUM FOR: Mary W. Demory
Assistant Inspector General for Inspections
 
FROM: Kathleen Hawk Sawyer
Director Federal Bureau of Prisons
 
SUBJECT: Response to OIG Inspection of the Bureau of Prisons' Inmate Financial Responsibility Program

The Bureau appreciates the opportunity to formally respond to the Office of the Inspector General's draft report on the Federal Bureau of Prisons' Inmate Financial Responsibility Program (IFRP). The Bureau concurs with the report and offers the following comments.

Recommendation #1 - The Director, BOP, should ensure that institution staff involved in administering and implementing the IFRP understand their responsibilities and adhere to the program guidance.

Response: We concur with this recommendation. We will provide training to the institution case management coordinators (CMCs) and unit managers, with a special emphasis on their responsibilities and adhering to program guidance. This training is provided through annual regional unit management training in which we will stress the importance of their responsibilities of training other staff. Additionally, for FY 2001 we are implementing training for new unit managers which includes IFRP training. We are in the developmental stages of a national training program for new case managers which will include IFRP training.

Recommendation #2 - The Director, BOP, should ensure that unit staff, at times other than the six-month program reviews, document discussions with inmates about changes in their participation and progress in the IFRP.

Response: We concur with this recommendation. We will provide training to the institution CMCs and unit managers, with a special emphasis on documenting informal IFRP discussions with inmates and ensure program review forms have comprehensive TFRP information. This will be stressed during training for new unit managers and new case managers.

Recommendation #3 - The Director, BOP, should ensure that institution staff, especially IFRP coordinators, understand the benefits of, and procedures for, conducting monthly quality reviews of the TFRP.

Response: We concur with this recommendation. We will issue a memorandum to all institutions and regional offices to emphasize the need for a quality review of the IFRP program on a regular basis. We will provide training to the regional IFRP coordinators, institution CMOs, and unit managers. The training will be provided through the annual regional unit management training and new unit managers training. Additionally, we will publish an article in our quarterly newsletter indicating the need for monthly quality reviews.

Recommendation #4 - The Director, BOP, should develop and implement policy and procedures for CCCs to counsel CCC residents about making their IFRP payments directly to the courts or United States Attorneys' offices, as appropriate; to monitor residents' payments toward their financial obligations; and to document payment information in the residents' files.

Response: We concur with this recommendation. All future CCC contracts will contain language in the Statement of Work to support the recommendation. Furthermore, we will formally request CCCs to initiate this desired action as soon as possible.

If you have any questions regarding this response, please contact Michael W. Garrett, Senior Deputy Assistant Director, Program Review Division, at (202) 616-2099.

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