Customs Service: The Self-Inspection Program Shows Promise but Remains a Work in Progress
Highlights
The Customs Service's responsibilities include collecting revenue from imports and enforcing U.S. laws and regulations, preventing the smuggling of drugs into the United States, and overseeing export compliance and money laundering issues. Customs recently began a self-inspection program (SIP) to aid in its diverse responsibilities. This report discusses (1) SIP's use as a mechanism for oversight and accountability, (2) problems related to SIP implementation, and (3) improvements and refinements underway to enhance the value of the program. GAO found that SIP is a useful mechanism for managers to identify and correct problems at the local level and to obtain more control over activities that they oversee. Implementation problems included a lack of detailed instructions on how to complete self-inspection worksheets and inadequate worksheet review by responsible officials. Customs is trying to correct deficiencies in key internal control areas.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| United States Customs Service | To help improve SIP, the Acting Commissioner of Customs should direct the Management Inspections Division Director to review all worksheets and provide clear guidance for proper documentation to support worksheet answers. |
In its May 22, 2001, agency comments to GAO, Customs emphasized that it will be implementing an action plan to fully address GAO's recommendation. Customs provided GAO with a draft of the action plan, which shows that all worksheets should be updated with new and clear guidelines by September 30, 2001.
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| United States Customs Service | To help improve SIP, the Acting Commissioner of Customs should direct the Management Inspections Division Director to review all worksheets and provide clear guidance for determining the universe of activity to include in the self-inspection and the appropriate sample size, if required. |
In its May 22, 2001, comments to GAO, Customs emphasized that it will be implementing an action plan to fully address GAO's recommendation. Customs provided GAO with a draft of the action plan, which shows that all worksheets will be updated with new, clear guidelines by September 30, 2001.
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