IOWA CITIZEN'S AIDE/OMBUDSMAN - REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE SIXTY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SECOND SESSION - ANNUAL REPORT, 7TH, 1977

• NCJ Number: 46258
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 97 pages
• Corporate Author: Iowa Office of the Citizens' Aide
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Annual/Periodic)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ESTABLISHMENT OF PROCEDURES TO PROVIDE GREATER EFFICIENCY AND UNIFORMITY IN COMPLAINT HANDLING, NEW STATISTICS PROCEDURE, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TEAM APPROACH TO EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATIONS ARE REPORTED.

Abstract

THE CITIZEN'S AIDE/OMBUDSMAN OFFICE (CA/O) DEVELOPED STATISTICS NOT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED TO REPORT CONTACTS WITH THE OFFICE WHICH WERE NOT MADE INTO CASE FILES, BUT WHICH REFLECT A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF CA/O TIME INVESTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED TO GUIDE THE TEAM APPROACH TO EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATIONS WHICH REQUIRE THAT SWORN TESTIMONY BE TAKEN FROM A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE. THE PROCEDURES INSURE THAT ALL RELEVANT QUESTIONS ARE POSED AND SUPERFLUOUS INFORMATION ELIMINATED. VARIOUS CONTACTS, PUBLIC APPEARANCES, AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF LITERATURE BY THE CA/O OFFICE HAS INCREASED VISIBILITY TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. EFFORTS CONTINUE TOWARDS ESTABLISHING A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LEGISLATURE. THE CA/O WAS CHOSEN BY THE CENTER FOR GOVERNMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AS A MODEL FOR THE PROPOSED FEDERAL COMPLAINT-HANDLING SYSTEM. THE RESULTS OF AN EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGATIONS OF RACIAL BIAS AT THE IOWA WOMEN'S REFORMATORY REVEALED NO SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF SUCH PRACTICES. RESULTS OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE USE OF INFORMANTS AND THE CONTRACT RELEASE PROGRAM AT THE SAME INSTITUTION ARE ALSO INCLUDED. CONCLUSIONS OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGATIONS OF HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITY AT IOWA WOMEN'S REFORMATORY REVEALED NO SUBSTANTIAL PROBLEMS IN THIS AREA. ACTIVITIES OF THE PRISON OMBUDSMAN AND THE DEPUTY FOR INDIAN AFFAIRS ARE REPORTED. LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS INTIATED BY THE CA/O OFFICE ARE LISTED. A NUMBER OF BRIEF CASE SUMMARIES ARE INCLUDED; MORE EXTENSIVE FILES OF EACH ARE AVAILABLE, THE RECORDED CITIZEN CONTACTS FOR 1977 WAS 2,733, WHICH INCLUDES 28 REOPENED CASES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NEW RECORDED CONTACTS MADE INTO CASE FILES WAS 1,403. STATISTICS OF THE YEAR'S ACTIVITIES ARE BROKEN DOWN BY DISPOSITION, AFFECTED DEPARTMENT OF STATE GOVERNMENT, AND BY COUNTY. APPENDIXES INCLUDE GRAPHS ILLUSTRATING THE FINDINGS OF A SURVEY OF LEGISLATORS, AGENCIES, MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATIONS, AND COMPLAINANTS ON THEIR OPINION OF THE CA/O. (RCB)