FBI AUDIT CONCLUSIONS ON THE CRIMINAL INFORMANT PROGRAM SHOULD HAVE BEEN QUALIFIED

• NCJ Number: 66572
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 26 pages
• Corporate Author: US Comptroller General
• Sale Source: Azimuth Inc.
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: THERE IS A CHARGE FOR MORE THAN ONE COPY REPORT BY THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL TO THE CHAIRMAN, SUBCOMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT INFORMATION AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Annotation

APPENDIXES PRESENT THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE'S (GAO'S) ASSESSMENT OF THE FBI'S INTERNAL AUDIT OF ITS CRIMINAL INFORMANT PROGRAM.

Abstract

GAO FOUND THAT THE FBI'S COMPLIANCE AUDIT REPORT ACCURATELY REPRESENTED THE STATUS OF THE PROGRAM DURING THE AUDIT. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE FBI WITHHELD CRIMINAL INFORMANT FILES FROM EXAMINATION, GAO WAS UNABLE TO VERIFY ALL THE INFORMATION PRESENT IN THE REPORT. GAO'S ANALYSIS OF THE FBI'S AUDIT QUESTIONNAIRES, METHODS FOR SELECTING CASE FILES, AND PROCEDURES FOR CONDUCTING ITS TEST OF PAYMENTS INDICATED THAT THE COMPLEXITIES OF AND RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON THE AUDIT REQUIRED SOME QUALIFICATION OF THE CONCLUSIONS IN THE AUDIT REPORT. MORE QUALIFIED CONCLUSIONS WOULD HAVE PROVIDED A BETTER ASSESSMENT OF FBI COMPLIANCE WITH ITS REGULATIONS AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S GUIDELINES ON THE USE OF INFORMANTS. DESCRIPTIONS OF THE TYPE AND SCOPE OF THE FBI'S INTERNAL REVIEW ARE PRESENTED ALONG WITH GAO'S METHODOLOGY FOR PERFORMING A MORE COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT OF THE CRIMINAL INFORMANT PROGRAM. THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S COMMENTS CONCERNING GAO'S FINDINGS ARE INCLUDED. THIS REPORT IS BASED ON DISCUSSIONS HELD WITH FBI OFFICIALS AND REVIEWS OF FBI FILES, RECORDS, AND WORKPAPERS GENERATED DURING THE AUDIT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--PRG)