As part of its Performance and Accountability Series, GAO provided information on the major management challenges and program risks facing the Department of Justice.

GAO noted that: (1) the Immigration and Naturalization Service's (INS) persistent management challenges have resulted in recommendations to restructure the agency so that enforcement of immigration laws and delivery of immigration services are clearly divided; (2) INS is developing a restructuring plan to accomplish this division and other objectives; (3) although the Attorney General has established a strategy to strengthen immigration enforcement, GAO's review of three aspects of the strategy has raised concerns about INS' efforts to achieve program objectives: (a) INS has spent billions of dollars on border enforcement but has not yet done a comprehensive evaluation to determine whether its strategy to deter illegal entry has been effective; (b) INS has a program designed to place criminal aliens in removal proceedings while they serve their prison sentences, but it has failed to identify thousands of such aliens before their release into U.S. communities; and (c) INS is required to complete criminal history checks on all applicants for naturalization before the application is approved; however, its failure to do so in some cases has resulted in criminal aliens being improperly naturalized; (4) auditors issued a disclaimer of opinion on the Department's fiscal years 1996 and 1997 consolidated financial statements because they were unable to obtain sufficient evidence to determine whether the Department's account balances and disclosures were fairly stated; (5) the Department's program for managing and disposing of seized assets has been designated a high-risk area; (6) managed by the U.S. Marshals Service, the program has experienced major operational problems for several years; (7) GAO's recent work has indicated that property management has improved, but some challenges remain; (8) recognizing the need for better management, INS has undertaken some steps to address some of its long-standing problems; and (9) to help improve its performance and achieve its intended results, the Department developed strategic and performance plans in accordance with the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act.

Below are the reports in this series:

High-Risk Series: An Update HR-99-1, Jan 1, 1999

Performance and Accountability Series:

Major Management Challenges and Risks: An Executive Summary OCG-99-ES, Feb 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: A Governmentwide Perspective OCG-99-1, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Department of Agriculture OCG-99-2, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Department of Commerce OCG-99-3, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Department of Defense OCG-99-4, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Department of Education OCG-99-5, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Department of Energy OCG-99-6, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Department of Health and Human Services OCG-99-7, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Department of Housing and Urban Development OCG-99-8, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Department of the Interior OCG-99-9, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Department of Justice OCG-99-10, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Department of Labor OCG-99-11, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Department of State OCG-99-12, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Department of Transportation OCG-99-13, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Department of the Treasury OCG-99-14, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Department of Veterans Affairs OCG-99-15, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Agency for International Development OCG-99-16, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Environmental Protection Agency OCG-99-17, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: National Aeronautics and Space Administration OCG-99-18, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Nuclear Regulatory Commission OCG-99-19, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Risks: Social Security Administration OCG-99-20, Jan 1, 1999

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: U.S. Postal Service OCG-99-21, Jan 1, 1999