NCJ Number
251072
Date Published
August 2017
Length
64 pages
Annotation
The findings and methodology are presented for the U.S. Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General's (OIG's) audit of the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP's) Victim Assistance and Victim Compensation Formula Grants awarded to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Justice Programs (MN OJP) in St. Paul, MN.
Abstract
Six grants were awarded through OJP's Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). Three were awarded under OVC Victim Assistance Formula Grants and three were awarded under OVC Victim Compensation Formula Grants. The MN OJP was awarded $50,092,497 under grant numbers 2013-VA-GX-0011, 2013-VC-GX-0015, 2014-VA-GX-0033, 2014-VC-GX-0021, 2015-VA-GX-0023, and 2015-VC-GX-0001. Three of the grants were for the provision of direct services to crime victims, and three were for the provision of financial assistance to crime victims who suffered financial losses as a direct result of their victimization. As of August 5, 2016, MN OJP had drawn down $28,413,000 of the total grant funds. The OIG's audit objective was to evaluate how MN OJP designed and implemented its crime victim assistance and compensation programs. This was done by assessing performance in program implementation, performance, and accomplishments; grant financial management; and the monitoring of sub-recipients. The audit concluded that although MN OJP adequately administered the victim compensation program, there were significant issues in its management of the victim assistance program. These issues were related to the process for awarding grant funds to sub-recipients and other aspects of the administration of victim assistance grant funds. These issues are documented in this audit report. Eight recommendations are directed to OJP for addressing the issues identified in the audit. 2 tables and appended audit scope and methodology, a schedule of dollar-related findings, and MN OJP: and OJP responses to the findings in the draft report