NCJ Number
246823
Date Published
May 2014
Length
56 pages
Annotation
The Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) reports on its audit of DOJ's Bureau of Justice Assistance's (BJS's) administration of grants to States under the John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act (JRJ Act), which provides an incentive for qualified attorneys to choose careers as prosecutors and public defenders and to continue in that service; the incentive is student loan repayment assistance.
Abstract
From Fiscal Years 2010-2014, the BJA received over $28 million through congressional appropriations in order to administer the JRJ program and fund grants to States. The audit found limited evidence on which to base an assessment of the effect of the JRJ program on the hiring and retention of prosecutors and public defenders. BJA's shortcomings in oversight and recordkeeping prevented a quantitative analysis of the JRJ program's impact on employment environments in these public service professions. In addition, many other factors beyond the JRJ awards could influence an individual's decision to accept and remain in a certain employment position; however, the audit did identify several issues that have influenced the success of the program in meeting its goals, including the issue of whether JRJ awards are considered taxable income and the JRJ program's interaction with other debt relief programs. BJA must address these issues in order to ensure the greatest overall impact of the JRJ program on the hiring and retention of public service attorneys. This will require that the BJA not only improve tracking and reporting on the JRJ program, but also review the data obtained from the States, so as to identify inefficiencies and other opportunities to maximize the financial relief the JRJ program provides attorneys working in public service. 5 exhibits