The United States Marshals Services' Management of the Justice Prisoner
and Alien Transportation System

Audit Report 07-01
October 2006
Office of the Inspector General


Appendix I
Objectives, Scope, and Methodology


Objectives

The objectives of our audit were to evaluate the USMS’s: (1) ability to effectively manage the risks inherent in prisoner movements to ensure safe and efficient transport, and (2) coordination with its three primary customers regarding the movement of prisoners and aliens.

Scope and Methodology

We conducted the audit in accordance with the Government Auditing Standards, and included the tests and procedures necessary to accomplish our objectives.

We performed our work primarily at JPATS headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri and three of JPATS hubs in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Alexandria, Louisiana; and Mesa, Arizona. In addition, we visited the headquarters and/or field offices of agencies that interact with JPATS regularly: the USMS, the BOP, ICE, the U.S. Public Health Service, and the OFDT.

To accomplish our audit objectives, we:

  • reviewed prior reports on JPATS and researched pertinent laws and regulations;

  • interviewed officials at JPATS headquarters and three of the four hubs: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Alexandria, Louisiana; and Mesa, Arizona;

  • interviewed operational personnel for a total of 23 full-time pilots, 18 full-time Air Enforcement Officers, and 33 contract Air Security Officers at three of JPATS’s four hubs;

  • interviewed 15 full-time prisoner transportation specialists (the schedulers) at JPATS’s headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri;

  • obtained relevant manuals and policies regulating the JPATS operations;

  • interviewed USMS officials at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., and district offices in Kansas City, Missouri; San Francisco, California; Phoenix, Arizona; and Alexandria, Louisiana;

  • interviewed BOP officials at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and correctional facilities in Phoenix, Arizona; Dublin, California; Oakdale, Louisiana; Atlanta, Georgia; and Gilmer, West Virginia;

  • interviewed ICE officials at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., district office in San Francisco, California; the district sub-office in Oakdale, Louisiana; and the Service Processing Center in Florence, Arizona;

  • reviewed budget information, and pertinent accounting and administrative records;

  • analyzed the time-and-attendance records of 27 employees of JPATS to evaluate crew rest issues;

  • evaluated the flight manifest records for the scoped 9 months to assess the adequacy of security crew aboard the flights and efficiency in scheduling;

  • reviewed the scheduling reports for the scoped 9 months to assess the adequacy of security officers at the hangar in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Alexandria, Louisiana; and Mesa, Arizona.

  • examined 117 reports on security incidents;

  • reviewed reports on medical denials from the USPHS flight nurses from October 2003 through December 2005;

  • reviewed the credentials and background investigation of 32 pilots.



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