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  (1)GAO’s reports and testimonies give Congress, federal agencies, and the public timely, fact-based, non-partisan information that can improve government operations and save taxpayers billions of dollars.Jump To:
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                    Most Recent Reports**1 - 20 of 230 Reports**
	
	

	
	  **Released on   Apr 16, 2024**
          Restrictive Housing: Actions Needed to Enhance BOP and ICE Management and Oversight
    GAO-24-107494
      Published:   Apr 16, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Apr 16, 2024
.
    We testified about our prior work related to use of restrictive housing, formerly referred to as "solitary confinement," in federal prison and detention facilities. In some cases, this includes isolating 1-2 people in cells for nearly 24 hours per day. The Bureau of Prisons uses restrictive housing for about 8% of its prison population each year—about 11,000 people in FY 2023. U.S. Immigration and Customs...
      **Released on   Feb 6, 2024**
          Bureau of Prisons: Additional Actions Needed to Improve Restrictive Housing Practices
    GAO-24-105737
      Published:   Feb 6, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 6, 2024
.
    As of October 2023, the Bureau of Prisons was housing about 8% of its prison population in restrictive housing, also known as "solitary confinement." In some cases, this includes isolating people in cells for up to 23 hours per day. Two prior studies have given the Bureau recommendations on how to improve its restrictive housing practices. However, it hasn't implemented a number of these recommendations—such...
      **Released on   Feb 27, 2023**
          Bureau of Prisons: Assessment of Health Care Reentry Policies and Procedures Needed
    GAO-23-105610
      Published:   Feb 27, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 27, 2023
.
    The Federal Bureau of Prisons is responsible for the custody and care of inmates in its facilities. As inmates reenter society, some face challenges such as getting IDs or accessing health care. Federal law requires the Bureau to create procedures to help inmates apply for federal and state benefits—like Medicaid—when they are released. But the Bureau hasn't assessed whether its health care reentry policies and...
      **Released on   Dec 7, 2022**
          Bureau of Prisons: Opportunities Exist to Better Assist Incarcerated People with Obtaining ID Documents Prior to Release
    GAO-23-105302
      Published:   Dec 7, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 7, 2022
.
    The Federal Bureau of Prisons is required to help incarcerated people obtain ID documents, such as driver's licenses, before their release. ID documents may help them to secure housing or work when they reenter society. The Bureau is collecting data on the number of people leaving prison with ID documents. But that data has often been incomplete or inconsistent, making it difficult for the Bureau...
      **Released on   Jun 15, 2022**
          Drug Policy: Preliminary Observations on the 2022 National Drug Control Strategy
    GAO-22-106087
      Published:   Jun 15, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jun 15, 2022
.
    Federal efforts to prevent, respond to, and recover from drug misuse have been on our High Risk list since 2021. We testified about our preliminary observations on the Office of National Drug Control Policy's 2022 National Drug Control Strategy. The strategy is intended to reduce illegal drug supplies and demand; and promote prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery. Our preliminary review of the available documents...
      **Released on   Feb 2, 2022**
          Bureau of Prisons: Enhanced Data Capabilities, Analysis, Sharing, and Risk Assessments Needed for Disaster Preparedness
    GAO-22-104289
      Published:   Feb 2, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 2, 2022
.
    The Bureau of Prisons tracks data on its facility maintenance and repair projects—including those stemming from disasters. But, the Bureau hasn't defined "disasters" for the purpose of tracking its maintenance and repair projects—making it harder to plan for disaster risks. Also, the data systems that the Bureau uses can't do the analysis to identify trends in the types, timeliness, or costs of its projects. In...
      **Released on   Jan 21, 2022**
          Federal Prisons: Monitoring Efforts to Implement COVID-19 Recommendations and Examining First Step Act Implementation
    GAO-22-105691
      Published:   Jan 21, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 21, 2022
.
    The pandemic has made it harder for the Bureau of Prisons to care for and rehabilitate the more than 157,000 federal inmates. We testified on the importance of implementing 3 recommendations from our July 2021 report to enhance the Bureau's COVID-19 response and guidance. For example, the Bureau needs a process to share and apply best practices and lessons learned with all of its facilities...
      **Released on   Dec 15, 2021**
          Law Enforcement: Federal Agencies Should Improve Reporting and Review of Less-Lethal Force
    GAO-22-104470
      Published:   Dec 15, 2021
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 15, 2021
.
    Federal agencies deployed law enforcement and other personnel during protests following George Floyd's death. Many used less-lethal force—tactics and weapons that are not intended to cause death or serious injury, such as tear gas and rubber bullets. We examined, among other things, how 10 agencies reviewed their use of this force in Washington, D.C., and Portland, OR. 8 used less-lethal force Use-of-force reports often didn't...
      **Released on   Jul 29, 2021**
          Bureau of Prisons: BOP Could Further Enhance its COVID-19 Response by Capturing and Incorporating Lessons Learned
    GAO-21-502
      Published:   Jul 29, 2021
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jul 29, 2021
.
    The Bureau of Prisons is responsible for the custody and care of about 129,000 federal inmates in BOP-managed facilities. COVID-19 has affected both inmates and staff at these facilities. The Bureau has processes, such as teleconferences among officials and facility inspections, to identify best practices and lessons learned from its COVID-19 response. However, the Bureau doesn't capture or share some of this information Bureau-wide or...
      **Released on   Feb 24, 2021**
          Pregnant Women in DOJ Custody: U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Prisons Should Better Align Policies with National Guidelines
    GAO-21-147
      Published:   Jan 25, 2021
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 24, 2021
.
    Incarcerated pregnant women are a vulnerable population with special needs. For example, national guidance says that they should receive regular prenatal care, screening, and diagnostic tests. However, we found that while the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Prisons have policies on pregnancy-related care, they do not always align with the national guidance. We recommended that the Marshals Service and the Bureau take steps...
          Bureau of Prisons: Opportunities Exist to Better Analyze Staffing Data and Improve Employee Wellness Programs
    GAO-21-123
      Published:   Feb 24, 2021
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 24, 2021
.
    The Bureau of Prisons is responsible for the custody and care of more than 125,000 federal inmates in its facilities, as well as the safety and security of its staff. But there are questions about the Bureau's ability to fully staff its facilities, the effects of staffing shortfalls, and the mental health of corrections staff. The Bureau uses overtime data to assess staffing levels, but...
      **Released on   Jul 29, 2020**
          Federal Prison Industries: Actions Needed to Evaluate Program Effectiveness
    GAO-20-505
      Published:   Jul 29, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jul 29, 2020
.
    Federal Prison Industries is a government-owned corporation that seeks to provide marketable job skills to inmates. It sells inmate-produced goods and services, mostly to federal agencies. A new law in 2018 began to allow these goods/services to be sold to nonprofits and the District of Columbia as well. The goal of this program is to help inmates in their reentry into society. However, we found...
      **Released on   Jun 22, 2020**
          Federal Prisons: Additional Analysis Needed to Determine Whether to Issue Pepper Spray to Minimum Security Prisons
    GAO-20-342
      Published:   Jun 22, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jun 22, 2020
.
    Pepper spray can be used in prisons to control incidents that lead to injuries or deaths of workers and inmates. In September 2018, the Bureau of Prisons decided it wouldn’t use pepper spray at minimum security prisons, but didn’t document a reason. Bureau officials said it was likely because of public perception, and because minimum security inmates are usually nonviolent offenders. The Bureau has a...
      **Released on   May 26, 2020**
          Bureau of Prisons: Improved Planning Would Help BOP Evaluate and Manage Its Portfolio of Drug Education and Treatment Programs
    GAO-20-423
      Published:   May 26, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   May 26, 2020
.
    The Bureau of Prisons provides a portfolio of drug education and treatment programs to help federal inmates with substance use disorders. In fiscal year 2019, the Bureau began treating inmates with opioid use disorder via a new medication-assisted treatment program. The Bureau is expanding this program, but hasn’t documented how it will gauge the additional agency personnel needed, how it plans to recruit and onboard...
      **Released on   Jan 22, 2020**
          Federal Property: GSA Guidance Needed to Help Agencies Identify Unneeded Property in Warehouses
    GAO-20-228
      Published:   Dec 20, 2019
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 22, 2020
.
    3 federal agencies—the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and the Bureau of Prisons—spent over $50 million in FY 2018 on warehouses, many of which contain property (like vehicles, furniture, and computers). However, these agencies do not systematically assess whether they still need all of their property. Federal agencies are required to use General Services Administration guidance to assess the ongoing...
      **Released on   Feb 15, 2018**
          Federal Prisons: Information on Inmates with Serious Mental Illness and Strategies to Reduce Recidivism
    GAO-18-182
      Published:   Feb 15, 2018
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 15, 2018
.
      **Released on   Feb 8, 2018**
          Federal Law Enforcement: DHS and DOJ Are Working to Enhance Responses to Incidents Involving Individuals with Mental Illness
    GAO-18-229
      Published:   Feb 8, 2018
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 8, 2018
.
      **Released on   Feb 6, 2018**
          Budget Issues: Continuing Resolutions and Other Budget Uncertainties Present Management Challenges
    GAO-18-368T
      Published:   Feb 6, 2018
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 6, 2018
.
    In all but 4 of the last 40 years, Congress has passed continuing resolutions (CR) to keep agencies running between budgets. Without appropriations or a CR, the government may partially shut down. We testified that CRs, possible shutdowns, or both create uncertainty and inefficiency for agencies. For example, our past work found that agencies have reported delays and rework in contracts, grants, and hiring. We...
      **Released on   Feb 2, 2018**
          Federal Criminal Restitution: Most Debt Is Outstanding and Oversight of Collections Could Be Improved
    GAO-18-203
      Published:   Feb 2, 2018
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 2, 2018
.
      **Released on   Jan 8, 2018**
          Bureau of Prisons: Better Planning and Evaluation Could Help Ensure Effective Use of Retention Incentives
    GAO-18-147
      Published:   Dec 7, 2017
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 8, 2018
.
    
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