Affirmative Action Programs of Three Component Organizations of the Department of Justice

A study of affirmative action programs of the Department of Justice and its component organizations focused on policies and practices such as recruitment, selection, promotion, training, assignment of personnel, management, and the complaint process. A study performed by a Justice Task Force at the Marshals Service concluded that the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) program required a complete evaluation and overhaul. GAO has not yet reviewed a progress report prepared in response to the study. The programs of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) require improvements in the areas of program evaluation and follow-up, personnel resources, affirmative action plans, recruitment of women and minorities, training and promotions, and complaint systems. Although there has been an increase in female and minority employment during the period of the review, the percentage of women employed at grades GS-7 and above was below the national average. Minority employment at the higher grades was below the national average at DEA but close to the national average at INS. Proposed reform of EEO includes Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 which would give the EEO Commission oversight responsibility. This would speed resolution of some of the problems found in the programs at the Department of Justice and other agencies.