NCJ Number
250278
Date Published
September 2016
Length
47 pages
Annotation
The U.S. Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) presents the methodology and findings of its audit of the National Institute of Justice's (NIJ's) three cooperative agreements awarded to the University of Rhode Island (Kingston, RI) under the NIJ Electronic Crime and Digital Evidence Recovery program and the NIJ Applied Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes program.
Abstract
The audit's objective was to determine whether costs claimed under the cooperative agreements were allowable, supported, and in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and terms and conditions. The University of Rhode Island (URI) was awarded $1,244,844 under the three cooperative agreements. As of February 22, 2016, the URI had drawn down $1,236,350 of the total award funds. The audit's objective was to determine whether costs claimed under the cooperative agreements were allowable, supported, and in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and terms and conditions. Overall, the audit concluded that the URI did not adequately manage the cooperative agreements; it found non-compliance or discrepancies in four of the six areas reviewed. Non-compliance involved internal control issues with award financial management, compliance with award conditions, and the use of funds; however, the URI did achieve the goals and objectives of the cooperative agreements. Questioned costs amounted to $266,374. The audit presents 11 recommendations to the Justice Department's OJP designed to remedy identified areas of non-compliance. 2 tables and appended audit objective, scope, and methodology; schedule of dollar-related findings; URI and OJP response to the draft report; and OIG analysis and summary of actions necessary to close the report