D.C. Government: Noneducation Factors Hindered Criminal Justice Initiative
GGD-90-89
Published: Jun 27, 1990. Publicly Released: Jul 27, 1990.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the District of Columbia's (D.C.) Department of Corrections' (DOC) Criminal Justice Initiative (CJI), which Congress mandated to: (1) expand the academic and vocational education training programs in overcrowded D.C. correctional institutions; and (2) serve as a model education program for the national corrections community.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | To improve the usefulness and validity of its computerized job placement data, the Mayor of the District of Columbia should instruct the Director, DOC, to review existing job placement input controls to determine how the accuracy of the data can be improved. |
Closed – Implemented
A DOC quality assurance team has reviewed job placement data input controls. As a result of that effort, data entry will be accomplished by just three persons versus the many that were performing this function. This new system should reduce the amount of inaccurate data in the files.
|
| District of Columbia | To improve the usefulness and validity of its computerized job placement data, the Mayor of the District of Columbia should instruct the Director, DOC, to develop standardized job title information so that all similar job placements are grouped under the same job title. |
Closed – Implemented
DOC has purchased computer software which will standardize job titles.
|
| District of Columbia | To improve the usefulness and validity of its computerized job placement data, the Mayor of the District of Columbia should instruct the Director, DOC, to provide in the computerized record information relating to: (1) job description; (2) why a particular placement was deemed to be related to the CJI training received; and (3) any noneducation factors that influenced an inmate to take a particular job. |
Closed – Implemented
Part one of the recommendation has been implemented by the purchase of additional software. Parts two and three will be handled by a combination of additional codes in the computerized record and additional data being placed in the hard copy of the inmate's record. This is not fully responsive because not all the information will be noted in the computerized record, but it is sufficient.
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Topics
Appropriated fundsCompensatory educationCorrectional facilitiesEmployment assistance programsInformation systemsOffender rehabilitationRecidivismVocational educationParoleExpenditure of funds