Department of Justice Reauthorization: Provisions to Improve Program Management, Compliance, and Evaluation of Justice Assistance Grants Page: 2 of 15
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Department of Justice Reauthorization: Provisions to
Improve Program Management, Compliance, and
Evaluation of Justice Assistance Grants
Summary
Since 1999, Congress has expressed an interest in the organizational structure
of the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Office of Justice Programs (OJP). The 109th
Congress passed legislation that restructures OJP and creates a new Office of Audit,
Assessment and Management to more closely monitor grantee compliance with grant
programs, among other things. The Violence Against Women and Department of
Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 was signed into law on January 5, 2006 (P.L.
109-162).
OJP is the main agency within DOJ that awards grants to states, local, and tribal
governments, as well as nonprofit organizations to help develop the country's
capacity to prevent and control crime, improve criminal justice systems, increase
knowledge about crime, and assist victims of crime. Since the 1990s, both the
Government Accountability Office (GAO) and DOJ's Office of Inspector General
(OIG) have reported on issues facing OJP with respect to managing and conducting
sufficient evaluations of its grant programs. At issue is whether the current
organizational structure of OJP is capable of properly managing its grant programs
and monitoring grantee compliance with program requirements.
The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act
of 2005 authorizes appropriations for DOJ for FY2006 through FY2009. The act
also codifies the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program
and the Community Capacity Development Office (CCDO). Furthermore, the act
reauthorizes and restructures grant programs under the Community Oriented Policing
Service (COPS) office as well as grant programs under the Violence Against Women
Office (VAWO).
One of the more controversial provisions in the act is the creation of the Office
of Audit, Assessment and Management within OJP, which will audit, exercise
corrective actions with response to, and manage information with respect to any OJP
or COPS grant program. DOJ currently has two components that are tasked with
monitoring the effectiveness and efficiency of its grant programs: grant managers
and OIG. OJP grant managers, who are located in each of its bureaus and program
offices, are charged with monitoring the grants made by their office; the OIG is
charged with promoting economy, efficiency and effectiveness within the
department.
The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act
of 2005 seeks to address reported shortcomings at OJP; however, several questions
are raised. For example, while the act does not restructure audit and performance
measure activities under OJP's National Institute of Justice (NIJ) or the OIG, how
will the newly created audit and performance office compliment the oversight
functions of NIJ and OIG? Moreover, what will the role of OJP's grant managers be
under the newly created office?
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James, Nathan. Department of Justice Reauthorization: Provisions to Improve Program Management, Compliance, and Evaluation of Justice Assistance Grants, report, January 10, 2006; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc821748/m1/2/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.