Investigations & compliance

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS |INVESTIGATIONS & COMPLIANCE

Mission
To protect and serve the public, employees and offenders by gathering information, examining operations, enforcing departmental standards and laws and recommending solutions.
OVERVIEW Established in 2005, the office efficiently and effectively coordinates, collaborates, assimilates and disseminates information, findings and intelligence to the leadership and staff of the Department of Corrections (DOC), as well as external local, state and federal entities and agencies.
The Office of Investigations & Compliance fall under the Executive Operations of the Department and is comprised of five (5) Individual Units and two (2) Statewide Program Coordinators.

Theft Sexual harassment Investigators receive extensive training Units work closely with state, local and federal law enforcement partners Currently, the unit has 560 open cases and 315 cases have been closed this calendar year
STATEWIDE PRISON RAPE ELIMINATION ACT (PREA) COORDINATOR
Staffed by (1) Senior Staff Member Responsible for ensuring that the DOC is in compliance
with the National PREA Standards Accomplished by conducting audits, training, drafting guidelines and policies
Works closely with Facilities and Probation leadership

Audits & Compliance Unit
Mission: To evaluate the operations through comprehensive audits of facilities and field offices (facilities and probation circuits) utilizing departmental standards and ensuring safe, secure and efficient operation.
Comprised of (14) senior staff members Audit topics cover all areas from Accounting to Security
and Safety Audit findings are addressed immediately and a follow-up
audit is conducted regarding the findings within 90 days In 2012, there were 112 audits were performed
Internal Investigations Unit
Mission: To enforce departmental standards and laws Conducts criminal and administrative investigations related to the DOC Comprised of (32) seasoned staff Investigations involve both staff, offenders and civilians Case examples are: Aggravated assault Rape Corruption Fraud Drug possession

Intelligence Unit
Mission: To collect, evaluate and analyze information and disseminate intelligence data regarding subversive and criminal activity involving inmates, probationers or employees of the DOC.
Goal: to provide operational support to the Office of Investigations and Compliance, Probation Operations, Facilities Operations and Senior Leadership. Provides Executive Staff with real-time information.
Comprised of seven (7) staff members Gather information from a myriad of sources and vetted for
relevance and accuracy Involved in numerous partnerships with state, local and
federal law enforcement One (1) GDC Intel Analyst is assigned full-time to the
Georgia Information Sharing and Analysis Center (GISAC) GISAC is one of 72 U.S. Department of Homeland Security designated fusion centers in the country created by state and local agencies to enhance communication and information flow between local, state and federal agencies
STATEWIDE SECURITY THREAT COORDINATOR Mission: To identify Security Threat Groups and Individuals and to track their activities and movements.
Operates from within the Intelligence Unit

Oversees the daily efforts of the Security Threat Group Investigators at each facility and probation office
Inmate Affairs and Ombudsman Unit
Mission: Promote fairness, accountability and integrity by investigating public and offender grievances, appeals and inquiries regarding unfair practices and non-compliance of policy.
Comprised of (25) staff members INVESTIGATORS
Comprised of (20) staff Conduct Administrative investigations Investigations are related to inmate grievances and
disciplinary reports FY2012: 4,870 grievance appeals were investigated FY2012: 4,309 disciplinary appeals were investigated FY2012: 2,030 Use of Force reports were reviewed
CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENTS Comprised of five (5) Ombudsman Unit agents Staff serve as a bridge between concerned civilians, the inmate population and the DOC staff FY2012: 12,091 Ombudsman Customer Concerns were addressed (letters, emails and phone calls)

Fugitive Apprehension Unit
Mission: To recapture escapees from DOC's facilities. In addition, they conduct criminal investigations to locate and apprehend absconded probationers and wanted dangerous sexual predators.
Comprised of (14) highly trained Investigators and (1) Criminal Analyst, who conducts research for the investigators.
Sex Offender Apprehension Team, a subset of the unit, focuses specifically on absconded sex offenders.
Partnered with the U.S. Marshals which allows the unit to access world-wide resources as well as acts as a force multiplier. FY 2012: there were 161 escapes and absconds from GDC custody. All were recaptured. FY 2012: 1,194 fugitive cases were closed by the Apprehension Unit FY 2012: 372 wanted sex offenders were apprehended by the Apprehension Unit FY 2012: the Apprehension Unit assisted other agencies with 793 arrests

11/2012