Executive summary, program evaluation: an assessment of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Drug Enforcement & Prevention results-based budget goals and desired results

Executive Summary
Program Evaluation
Prepared For the Budgetary Responsibility Oversight Committee
An Assessment of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Drug Enforcement & Prevention Results-Based Budget Goals and Desired Results

Russell W. Hinton, State Auditor

August 2002
Performance Audits Operations Division Department of Audits and Accounts

254 Washington St., S.W. Atlanta, GA 30334-8400

Background
The purpose of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's (GBI's) drug enforcement efforts is to assist in decreasing the supply of illegal drugs by providing investigative services, intelligence information, specialized units such as the State Drug Task Force, and training to criminal justice agencies that request drug enforcement assistance. Additionally, the GBI has the authority to initiate drug enforcement investigations and operations. The purpose of the GBI's drug prevention efforts is to train and monitor Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) officers in Georgia. DARE is a police officer led series of classroom lessons that is meant to teach youth how to avoid drugs and violence.
There are several different offices and units within GBI's Investigative Division that support GBI's drug enforcement and prevention efforts. These include the three Regional Drug Enforcement Offices, 15 Regional Offices, State Drug Task Force, GBI supervised Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Forces, and the Governor's Task Force for Drug Suppression (transferred to the Georgia State Patrol Aviation Division effective March 2002). GBI agents also are attached to the Atlanta High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force. GBI drug prevention efforts are supported by the DARE Training Unit.

Drug Enforcement Efforts Issue: Validity of the GBI drug enforcement Results-Based Budget (RBB) goal and desired result.
The GBI's drug enforcement RBB goal for 2003 is valid and the desired result is a valid indicator of its effectiveness. However, the desired result and the data collected could be improved.
The desired result could be revised upward to better reflect the historical result. The desired result is 80% for fiscal years 1998 through 2000 while the actual results were 84%, 83%, and 84%, respectively. The desired result remains at 80% for fiscal year 2003.

The GBI should consider conducting additional research to determine why drug enforcement assistance does not rate as high on the survey of users as other areas of GBI assistance.
Conducting the survey and compiling the results prior to the RBB submission date could improve the timeliness of the information. Due to the timing of the survey, the RBB data pertaining to GBI's drug enforcement assistance as published in the Governor's Budget Report will consistently be reported one year late.
Issue: Reliability of the GBI drug enforcement RBB data.
The GBI should implement controls to ensure that there is management review of data submitted in its RBB report and to ensure that no one agent is responsible for the entire process.
The GBI should retain copies of the surveys used to support their drug enforcement RBB data. The original surveys are not retained to support the survey results as compiled.
Drug Prevention Efforts
The DARE Unit, which is part of the GBI Investigative Division, is responsible for both training and monitoring DARE officers in Georgia. The DARE Unit has a limited role in the DARE program and the DARE Unit's budget is less than 1% of the GBI's Investigative Division total budget. Therefore, the inclusion of the DARE officer training information should be reviewed. Since the DARE Unit's RBB is reflective of their limited role, the RBB information presented will be of limited value in assessing the overall effectiveness or impact of the DARE program.
Issue: Validity of the GBI drug prevention RBB goal and desired result.
While the GBI's drug prevention RBB goal for 2003 is valid and desired result is a valid indicator of its effectiveness, both the goal and desired result could be improved.
The goal should be changed to reflect the DARE Unit's role in ensuring the quality delivery of the DARE Program.
An additional desired result should be added to measure the percent of officers presenting the DARE program within one year of graduating the DARE Officer training program and in compliance with the DARE curriculum and teaching methods. If decision-makers would like additional information on the DARE program, a desired result reporting the number of students completing the DARE course could be added.
Issue: Reliability of the GBI drug prevention RBB data.
The evaluation team found that the RBB data submitted to OPB by the GBI was accurate and complete. However, no process exists within the GBI to verify the accuracy or completeness of the drug prevention RBB data submitted to OPB, which adversely impacts the reliability of the drug prevention RBB data.

For additional information or to request a copy of the Audit, contact Paul E. Bernard, Director, Performance Audit Operations Division, at 404-657-5220.

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GBI Drug Enforcement & Prevention RBB Executive Summary