April 1, 2001 – September 30, 2001
Office of the Inspector General

OIG PROFILE

By Act of Congress, the OIG was established in the Department on April 14, 1989. The OIG investigates alleged violations of criminal and civil laws, regulations, and ethical standards arising from the conduct of the Department’s employees in their numerous and diverse activities. The OIG also assists management in promoting integrity, economy, efficiency, and effectiveness within the Department and in its financial, contractual, and grant relationships with others.

The OIG has jurisdiction to conduct audits and inspections throughout the entire Department. During this reporting period, the Attorney General expanded the OIG’s jurisdiction to conduct criminal or administrative investigations of FBI and DEA employees. Previously, the OIG has had the authority to investigate allegations of misconduct by employees in all other Department components. The Department is seeking additional resources in the FY 2002 budget to enable the OIG to responsibly implement its expanded authority to investigate allegations of misconduct in the FBI and DEA.

The Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility retains jurisdiction to investigate allegations of misconduct against Department attorneys that relate to the attorneys’ exercise of their authority to investigate, litigate, or provide legal advice. The OIG may investigate other allegations of misconduct against Department attorneys.

The OIG’s FY 2001 direct appropriation was $41.484 million. Additionally, the OIG received reimbursements of $1.4 million from the INS for the audit, inspections, and investigative oversight work related to the INS User Fee account; $1.65 million from the Working Capital Fund and other Department components for oversight of financial statement audit work; $1.25 million from the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees (EOUST) for trustee audits; and $145,000 for audit oversight work related to the Government Information Security Reform Act of 2001 (GISRA). In addition, the OIG received nearly $1.39 üillion in supplemental funding, which will support the development of a new case tracking and management system for the Investigations Division, the OIG’s investigation of the Department’s performance related to the alleged espionage activities of Robert Hanssen, and the purchase of automated workpaper software for the Audit Division.

This Report reviews the accomplishments of the OIG for the 6-month period ending September 30, 2001. As required by Section 5 of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (IG Act), as amended, this Report is submitted no later than October 31, 2001, to the Attorney General for his review. No later than November 30, 2001, the Attorney General is required to forward the Report to Congress along with his Semiannual Management Report to Congress, which presents the Department’s position on audit resolution and follow-up activity discussed in the Report.