The Emergency Witness Assistance Program
Report Number I-2001-002

Scope and Methodology

The inspection covered the EOUSA and USAOs' administration of the EWAP since its implementation in April 1997. We conducted the inspection from February through July 2000.

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the EWAP, the inspection team interviewed Department officials from the EOUSA, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Marshals Service, Criminal Division, and Justice Management Division. We also interviewed the Victim-Witness Coordinators in 18 USAOs to determine the reasons for their lack of use, or minimal use, of the EWAP.

We supplemented and verified the information we obtained during interviews by reviewing pertinent program policies and procedures, witness records, and financial records that reflected the EOUSA and USAOs' administration and implementation of the EWAP. We reviewed EWAP documentation for the USAO for the District of Columbia, the USAO for the Eastern District of Virginia, the USAO for the Eastern District of New York, the USAO for the Western District of Kentucky, and the USAO for the Southern District of Florida.