Audit of the Office of Justice Programs Victim Compensation Grants Awarded to the Illinois Court of Claims, Springfield, Illinois

Ensure that the Illinois Court of Claims develops a conflict of interest policy.

Work with the Illinois Court of Claims to ensure its Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, FY 2021, and FY 2022 Crime Victim State Certification Forms accurately reflect all activity and payments and take necessary steps to recover any excess awarded funds as appropriate.

Ensure that the Illinois Court of Claims incorporates its informal procedure for completing state certification forms into the Illinois Court of Claims' official accounting procedures and that this procedure instructs the use of actual expenditures, rather than drawdown amounts, when computing the total amount of Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) victim compensation formula grant funds used to pay compensation claims.

Ensure that the Illinois Court of Claims updates its policies and procedures to reflect the current method for tracking performance information and that the Illinois Court of Claims follows its existing policy of conducting a secondary review of performance data prior to its entry into the performance report.

Ensure that the Illinois Court of Claims examines its existing financial management activities and establishes enhanced controls to help mitigate the risk associated with manual data entry. As part of this effort, the Illinois Court of Claims should consider the use of an electronic financial management system with inherent controls.

Ensure that the Illinois Court of Claims assesses its grant administration needs and identifies how best to use the administrative expenditure allowance in carrying out its grant administration activities, including considering its need for improvements to its program infrastructure and the prudence of utilizing grant funds to pay the full compensation of a commissioner for periods in which no work is performed.

Remedy the $123,965 in unsupported costs associated with victim compensation claims.

Remedy the $1,200 in unallowable costs relating to the fitness equipment.

Ensure that the Illinois Court of Claims aligns its policies and procedures with the DOJ Grants Financial Guide's record retention requirements.

Ensure that the Illinois Court of Claims enhances it policies and procedures to include the daily loss of earnings computation methodology and the use of the templated spreadsheet.

Ensure that the Illinois Court of Claims updates its drawdown policy to ensure that federal cash on hand is the minimum needed for reimbursements or disbursements made immediately or within 10 days.