April 1, 2003–September 30, 2003
Office of the Inspector General
OIG PROFILE
The OIG is a statutorily created independent entity whose mission is to detect and deter waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct involving Department programs and personnel and to promote economy and efficiency in Department operations. It investigates alleged violations of criminal and civil laws, regulations, and ethical standards arising from the conduct of Department employees in their numerous and diverse activities. The OIG also audits and inspects Department programs and assists management in promoting integrity, economy, efficiency, and effectiveness. The OIG has jurisdiction to review the programs and personnel of the FBI; DEA; BOP; U.S. Marshals Service (USMS); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); USAOs; and all other organizations in the Department.
The OIG consists of the Immediate Office of the IG and the following divisions and offices.
- Audit Division is responsible for independent audits of Department programs, computer systems, and financial statements. The Audit Division has field offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Its Financial Statement Audit Office and Computer Security and Information Technology Audit Office are located in Washington, D.C. Audit Headquarters consists of the immediate office of the Assistant Inspector General for Audit, the Office of Operations, the Office of Policy and Planning, and an Advanced Audit Techniques Group.
- Investigations Division is responsible for investigating allegations of bribery, fraud, abuse, civil rights violations, and violations of other criminal laws and administrative procedures that govern Department employees, contractors, and grantees. The Investigations Division has field offices in Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Washington, D.C. (the Washington Field Office and the Fraud Detection Office). It has smaller, area offices in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, El Paso, Houston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Tucson. Investigations Headquarters in Washington, D.C., consists of the immediate office of the Assistant Inspector General for Investigations and the following branches: Operations, Special Operations, Investigative Support, and Policy and Administration.
- Evaluation and Inspections Division provides an alternative mechanism to traditional audits and investigations to review Department programs and activities.
- Office of Oversight and Review blends the skills of attorneys, investigators, and program analysts to investigate or review sensitive matters involving Department programs or employees.
- Management and Planning Division assists OIG components in the full range of human, material, and information resource areas by providing services in budget formulation and execution, security, personnel, training, travel, procurement, property management, information technology, computer network communications, telecommunications, strategic planning, and quality assurance and internal controls.
- Office of General Counsel provides legal advice to OIG management and staff. In addition, the office drafts memoranda on issues of law; prepares administrative subpoenas; represents the OIG in personnel, contractual, and legal matters; and responds to Freedom of Information Act requests.
For the period covered by this Semiannual Report to Congress (report) - April 1 through September 30, 2003 - the OIG carried out its mission with a nationwide workforce of approximately 400 special agents, auditors, inspectors, attorneys, and support staff. For fiscal year (FY) 2003, following the transfer of $1.10 million and 15 full-time equivalents to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a result of the transfer of the INS from the Department to the DHS and the creation of the DHS's OIG, the OIG received $56.45 million in direct appropriations and earned an additional $3.636 million in reimbursements. The OIG also received $2.50 million from Public Law 108-11, the Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2003, funds that remain available until September 30, 2004.
As required by Section 5 of the IG Act, as amended, this report, reviewing the accomplishments of the OIG for the 6-month period ending September 30, 2003, is to be submitted no later than October 31, 2003, to the Attorney General for his review. The Attorney General is required to forward the report to Congress no later than November 30, 2003, along with information regarding the Department's position on audit resolution and follow-up activity in response to matters discussed in this report.
Information about the OIG and full-text versions of many of its reports are available at www.usdoj.gov/oig.