MANAGERS NEED COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEMS FOR ASSESSING EFFECTIVENESS AND OPERATION OF INMATE GRIEVANCE MECHANISMS - REPORT OF THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES

• NCJ Number: 43676
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: US Comptroller General
• Sale Source: Azimuth Inc.; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

INMATE GRIEVANCE MECHANISMS USED BY THE BUREAU OF PRISONS AND IN FEDERAL AND STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE REVIEWED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE HOW THEY ASSESS THEIR EFFECTIVENESS.

Abstract

THE BUREAU OF PRISONS AND MOST STATES HAVE IMPLEMENTED INMATE GRIEVANCE MECHANISMS WITHOUT COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS TO INDICATE HOW EFFECTIVELY THE MECHANISMS ARE OPERATING. THIS DEFICIENCY INHIBITS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND CORRECTIONS OFFICIALS IN CONTINUALLY MONITORING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE INMATE GRIEVANCE MECHANISMS. IT IS ALSO DIFFICULT TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT ANY STANDARDS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO PENDING LEGISLATION ARE BEING MET. THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING OFFICE RECOMMENDS THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (1) DIRECT THE BUREAU OF PRISONS TO ADOPT THE STANDARDS ESTABLISHED FOR STATE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEMS AND IMPLEMENT A MORE COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM TO CONTINUALLY CHECK THE PERFORMANCE OF ITS INMATE GRIEVANCE MECHANISM AGAINST THOSE STANDARDS, AND (2) DIRECT THE BUREAU OF PRISONS AND LEAA TO JOINTLY DEVELOP A MODEL MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM THAT CAN BE ADOPTED BY THE STATES TO ASSIST THEM IN MEETING THE STANDARDS. THE RESULTS OF THE REVIEW OF THE INMATE GRIEVANCE MECHANISMS ARE PRESENTED IN THE APPENDIX.