NCJ Number
171923
Date Published
1997
Length
126 pages
Annotation
This report discusses the progress that the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has made toward addressing longstanding management problems, areas that continue to need attention, and recommendations regarding further actions to address the problems.
Abstract
The General Accounting Office (GAO) reported in 1991 that INS was experiencing severe management problems -- among other things, that it lacked clearly defined priorities, lacked management control over regional commissioners, had poor internal communications and outdated policies and procedures, and did not use workload data to allocate resources. This review revealed that INS has made progress toward addressing some of its management problems. However, much remains to be done and top management attention is still required. INS has implemented a strategic plan and priority management system; reorganized in 1994 to reduce the supervisory span of control and improve program planning, review, and integration; and took steps to improve processes for allocating resources. However, INS still needs to improve communications and its field manuals and did not follow fundamental practices for acquiring a new financial accounting system. GAO recommends that the INS Commissioner further clarify roles of the Executive Associate Commissioners, determine whether staffing adjustments are needed, establish milestones for issuing manuals, and take other actions. Figures; tables; footnotes; and appended instrument, background information, and comments from the INS Commissioner