A Performance Audit
An Audit Report on Complaint, Grievance, and Allegation Processing at the Juvenile Justice Department
September 2020
Summary Analysis
The Juvenile Justice Department (Department) and the Office of the Independent Ombudsman (Ombudsman) review and resolve complaints, grievances, and allegations concerning youth at state-operated secure facilities. However, both the Department and the Ombudsman should strengthen processes for reviewing and resolving those complaints, grievances, and allegations. In addition, the Department should strengthen its processes for reviewing and resolving employee grievances.
Because of weaknesses in processes related to receiving complaints, grievances, and allegations, the Department and the Ombudsman cannot ensure that all complaints, grievances, and allegations received are reviewed or resolved. The Department also had weaknesses in its monitoring of complaints referred between its own divisions.
For those complaints, grievances, and allegations it had documented, the Department adequately reviewed a majority of the youth complaints and grievances tested. However, there are opportunities for the Department to strengthen its processes to ensure that (1) data entered into its automated systems is accurate, (2) complaint and grievance documentation is complete, and (3) processes are consistently followed across facilities.
The Ombudsman should strengthen documentation and reviews over its complaint process to ensure that (1) it consistently addresses non-criminal complaints, (2) documentation is complete and maintained, and (3) complaints are resolved within required time frames.
The Department and the Ombudsman receive and resolve complaints, grievances, and allegations from and related to youth at the Department’s secure facilities.
The Department has multiple methods of receiving complaints, grievances, and allegations from youth and staff regarding youth. This includes:
- File Youth Grievance Form
- Tell Youth Development Coach
- Call Incident Reporting Center
- Call Ombudmsan
The Department cannot ensure that all complaints, grievances, and allegations it receives are reviewed by the proper division with the Department. This is because the Department does not have processes to ensure that (1) all calls are entered into the Incident Reporting Center (Reporting Center) database, (2) all hard-copy youth grievance forms are entered into the Youth Grievance Manager system, or (3) all calls between Department divisions are referred appropriately and addressed by the division receiving the referral. In addition, the Ombudsman does not have a process to ensure that all complaints received are entered into its database and addressed. Not having these processes creates a risk that some complaints, grievances, and allegations will not be reviewed as required.
The Department adequately reviewed a majority of the complaints and grievances tested that it had documented in its databases. However, it should ensure that (1) data entered into the Youth Grievance Manager System (System) is accurate, (2) documentation is complete and maintained, and (3) processes are consistently followed across facilities.
The Ombudsman reviews complaints concerning the actions of the Department and investigates each complaint in which it appears a youth needs assistance. However, the complaints tested were not adequately documented or resolved within required time frames. The Ombudsman should strengthen documentation and review over its complaint process to ensure that (1) documentation is complete and maintained; (2) complaints are resolved within required time frames; and (3) it consistently addresses non-criminal complaints.
The Ombudsman performed monthly site visits at each secure facility during the scope of the audit and completed its reports within four weeks as required by policy. However, the Ombudsman’s reports for those site visits did not always specify whether it reviewed the Department’s delivery of services to youth.
The Department’s employee grievance process did not have adequate policies and procedures for receiving, investigating, and resolving employee grievances. The employee grievances tested were not adequately documented or resolved within required time frames. Results of a survey administered by auditors indicated that a majority of Department employees were aware of the grievance processes.
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