Summary

The Justice Administrative Commission (JAC) was created pursuant to Section 43.16(1), Florida Statutes, to maintain a central State office for administrative services and assistance on behalf of the state attorneys, public defenders, and capital collateral regional counsels located through the State.

This report identifies several efficiencies that could be achieved in the various financial-related processes performed by the JAC. These efficiencies relate to:

• The continued implementation of the Business Office Management System (BOMS) at the JAC and the state attorney and public defender offices to allow for the electronic transfer of information among the offices.

• Elimination or reduction of duplicate functions currently performed at both the state attorney/public defender offices and the JAC. The functions include the preaudit of vouchers, maintaining of voucher-related documents, and processing of State warrants.

In view of these efficiencies, as well as other efficiencies that have already been initiated by JAC, the JAC should reevaluate the level of resources required to meet the needs of the offices served by the JAC.

We also found that the contract for implementation of BOMS did not assure accountability for the moneys expended on the system and its efficient implementation and operation.

The Justice Administrative Commission's Executive Director provided his response to our findings and recommendations. The response, in its entirety, may be viewed on the Auditor General's Web site.