NCJ Number
58026
Date Published
1979
Length
55 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF AN AUDIT BY THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE (GAO) OF DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION OF THE INTERSTATE ORGANIZED CRIME INDEX (IOCI), A REGISTER OF PERSONS INVOLVED IN ORGANIZED CRIME, ARE REPORTED.
Abstract
THE AUDIT WAS CONDUCTED IN RESPONSE TO REQUESTS FROM TWO U.S. CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES. THE IOCI, FUNDED IN 1971 BY EIGHT LEAA GRANTS TOTALING $1.7 MILLION, WAS PLANNED AS A COMPUTERIZED REGISTER. FUNDS HAVE ALL BEEN SPENT, BUT THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM HAS NOT YET REPLACED THE CURRENT MANUAL SYSTEM. THREE MAIN AREAS ARE OF CONCERN TO THE AUDITORS. FIRST, IT IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE THE SYSTEM'S EFFECTIVENESS IN AIDING INDICTMENTS, ARRESTS, AND CONVICTIONS. SECOND, ALTHOUGH THE GRANTS REQUIRED INDEX ENTRIES TO BE BASED ON INFORMATION FOUND IN PUBLIC RECORDS, IN MANY CASES THE CONTRIBUTING MEMBER AGENCIES DID NOT PROVIDE SUCH INFORMATION. THIRD, THE GRANTEE HAS NOT YET EFFECTED EITHER ITS PROMISED VERIFICATION OF INDEX INFORMATION OR ITS PROMISED ELIMINATION OF OUTDATED AND INACCURATE DATA. SUCH ACTIVITIES HAVE THEREFORE BEEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH CONTRIBUTING MEMBER AGENCY. DESPITE THESE PROBLEMS, THE SYSTEM DOES HAVE CONTROLS TO ENSURE THAT INDEX INFORMATION IS PROVIDED ONLY TO AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES OF MEMBER AGENCIES. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT (1) LEAA NOT FUND FUTURE PROJECTS IT IS NOT PREPARED TO MONITOR CLOSELY; AND (2) THE ATTORNEY GENERAL REQUIRE LEAA TO MONITOR IOCI BEFORE THE SYSTEM BECOMES OPERATIONAL TO ASCERTAIN THAT UPDATING AND VERIFICATION ARE DONE. THE GRANTEE HAS TAKEN STEPS TO IMPLEMENT THIS SECOND RECOMMENDATION. FOOTNOTES, TABLES, AND APPENDICES INCLUDING A DESCRIPTION OF IOCI, GUIDELINES RELATING TO IOCI FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT INTELLIGENCE UNIT, FORMS USED, AND CORRESPONDENCE, ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)