The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) appropriated $787 billion to provide a stimulus to the economy. In this legislation, the Department received $4 billion to award in grants to enhance state, local, and tribal law enforcement; to combat violence against women; and to fight Internet crimes against children.
The OIG is taking proactive steps to help oversee the Department’s Recovery Act activities, including providing Department officials and grant administrators with advice and training on improving the grant management process and on preventing fraud or misuse of the funds. We also have reviewed and provided advice regarding the internal controls and certifications that the grant administrators are using as they award Recovery Act funds. In addition, we prepared a document entitled “Improving the Grant Management Process,” which contains recommendations and best practices that OIG auditors and investigators have identified from our grant oversight work over the years. We distributed this document to Department grant managers, and also beyond the Department, because many of these recommendations have relevance to grant practices across federal agencies.
The OIG also initiated audits examining Department funds received through the Recovery Act. The objectives of the audits are to determine if Department components are properly managing Recovery Act funds in accordance with Recovery Act, OMB guidelines, and sound grant management practices. The audit work is being performed in multiple phases throughout the grant-making and implementation processes. As we proceed with these reviews, we will provide grant administrators with significant findings from this audit work as quickly as possible so the findings can be addressed promptly.
Representatives from our Investigations Division field offices and our regional audit offices are also reaching out to state auditing agencies to discuss the monitoring of the Department’s Recovery Act funds received by grant recipients in their jurisdictions and encouraging them to report any concerns to the OIG. Our auditors also are conducting risk analyses to focus audit work in areas where fraud is most likely to occur.
Inspector General Glenn Fine has been designated as a member of the Recovery Act Accountability and Transparency Board. The Board is responsible for providing oversight and promoting transparency regarding expenditure of Recovery Act funds, including issuing quarterly and annual reports on the use of Recovery Act funds and any oversight matters; making recommendations to agencies on measures to avoid problems and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse; issuing reports to the President and Congress on potential management and funding problems that require immediate attention; and establishing and maintaining a user friendly website (www.Recovery.gov) to foster greater accountability and transparency in the use of covered funds.
| DOJ RECOVERY ACT FUNDING | |
|---|---|
| Office/Program | $ in millions |
| OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS | |
| Byrne formula grants | 2,000 |
| Byrne competitive grants | 225 |
| Tribal Law Enforcement | 225 |
| Rural Law Enforcement | 125 |
| Victim Compensation | 100 |
| Internet Crimes Against Children | 50 |
| Southern Border/HIDTA/Project Gunrunner | 40 |
| Subtotal | 2,765 |
| COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES | |
| COPS Hiring Recovery Program | 1,000 |
| OFFICE ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN | |
| Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution Programs | 225 |
| SALARIES AND EXPENSES | |
| Management, administration and oversight of programs within OVW, OJP, and COPS |
10 |
| TOTAL | 4,000 |