Audit of the Department of Justice’s Efforts to Protect Federal Bureau of Prisons Facilities Against Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems is a report from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

In 2020, Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector General of the DOJ, announced the publication of a report investigating the Department’s strategies in safeguarding Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities against potential risks posed by unmanned aircraft systems, commonly known as drones. The DOJ’s OIG uncovered that the BOP encounters substantial and escalating difficulties in shielding its facilities from drone-related threats. These unmanned aircraft have been utilized to smuggle contraband to inmates. They could be exploited for surveillance, aiding escape endeavors, or transporting hazardous materials like firearms or explosives.

The OIG report findings include:

  • Enhanced Drone Incident Tracking is Needed
  • Improved Drone Response Guidance
  • Identifying and Obtaining Protective Solutions

The report released includes seven recommendations to both the DOJ and the BOP aimed at enhancing the BOP’s monitoring of drone incidents within its facilities and advancing the joint efforts of the BOP and DOJ in safeguarding BOP facilities from drone-related threats. Both the BOP and DOJ have concurred with all seven recommendations.

Publication Date– September 2020

Audit of the Department of Justice’s Efforts to Protect Federal Bureau of Prisons Facilities Against Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems contains the following major sections:

  • Introduction
  • Audit Results
  • Conclusion and Recommendations

This report has been redacted for public release and is attached below. The full version of this report contains information that the Department considered to be law enforcement sensitive and, therefore, could not be publicly released. To create this public version of the report, the Office of the Inspector General redacted (blacked out) portions of the full report.

See the C-UAS Hub Corrections Sector resource page for more information and references.

Post Image- Federal Detention Center in Houston, Texas (Image Credit: Adobe Stock by JHVEPhoto)