Title page
Contents
Highlights 2
Letter 5
Background 11
Mechanisms to Identify and Address Detention Condition Concerns Have Deficiencies 15
Marshals Service Reviews Detention Facilities, but Its Process Does Not Include Key Elements 15
Marshals Service Has Processes to Address Grievances, but Data Were Incomplete and Inconsistent 35
Independence of Marshals Service Facility Review Processes Varies 40
Marshals Service Has Not Fully Incorporated Key Steps to Assess Performance 43
Marshals Service Has Defined Desired Outcomes for Private but Not State and Local Detention Facilities 45
Marshals Service Measures Performance for Its Facility Reviews and Inquiry Response Goals 46
Marshals Service Uses and Publicly Reports Limited Performance Data 47
Use of Facility Performance and Inquiry Data 48
Conclusions 54
Recommendations for Executive Action 54
Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 55
Appendix I: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgements 57
Related GAO Products 58
Table 1. U.S. Marshals Service Strategic Goal and Objective and Performance Goals for Detention Facilities 45
Figure 1. Total Average Daily Population of Individuals in Marshals Service Custody, by Facility Type (Fiscal Year 2023) 12
Figure 2. Marshals Service Detention Facility Review Processes 16
Figure 3. Percentage and Number of Marshals Service Deputies Who Conducted Detention Facility Reviews in Fiscal Year 2023 and Had Not Completed Detention... 18
Figure 4. Select Questions Included in Marshal Service's Detention Facility Review Tool 22
Figure 5. Facility Performance Ratings of Marshals Service Quality Assurance Reviews (February 2021 through April 2023) 27
Figure 6. Proportions of State and Local Facilities Housing Individuals in Marshals Service Custody in Compliance and Noncompliance with Certain Detention... 30
Figure 7. Overview of Grievance Mechanisms for Individuals in Marshals Service Custody 35
Figure 8. Key Practices of Results-Oriented Performance Management 44
Figure 9. Summary of ICE Findings from Inspections of a Private Detention Center and County Jail Contained in a Publicly Available Report (June 2023) 53