U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

MANAGERS NEED COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEMS FOR ASSESSING EFFECTIVENESS AND OPERATION OF INMATE GRIEVANCE MECHANISMS - REPORT OF THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES

NCJ Number
43676
Author(s)
ANON
Date Published
1977
Length
16 pages
Annotation
INMATE GRIEVANCE MECHANISMS USED BY THE BUREAU OF PRISONS AND IN FEDERAL AND STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE REVIEWED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE HOW THEY ASSESS THEIR EFFECTIVENESS.
Abstract
THE BUREAU OF PRISONS AND MOST STATES HAVE IMPLEMENTED INMATE GRIEVANCE MECHANISMS WITHOUT COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS TO INDICATE HOW EFFECTIVELY THE MECHANISMS ARE OPERATING. THIS DEFICIENCY INHIBITS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND CORRECTIONS OFFICIALS IN CONTINUALLY MONITORING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE INMATE GRIEVANCE MECHANISMS. IT IS ALSO DIFFICULT TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT ANY STANDARDS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO PENDING LEGISLATION ARE BEING MET. THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING OFFICE RECOMMENDS THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (1) DIRECT THE BUREAU OF PRISONS TO ADOPT THE STANDARDS ESTABLISHED FOR STATE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEMS AND IMPLEMENT A MORE COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM TO CONTINUALLY CHECK THE PERFORMANCE OF ITS INMATE GRIEVANCE MECHANISM AGAINST THOSE STANDARDS, AND (2) DIRECT THE BUREAU OF PRISONS AND LEAA TO JOINTLY DEVELOP A MODEL MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM THAT CAN BE ADOPTED BY THE STATES TO ASSIST THEM IN MEETING THE STANDARDS. THE RESULTS OF THE REVIEW OF THE INMATE GRIEVANCE MECHANISMS ARE PRESENTED IN THE APPENDIX.