GAO study on Federal law enforcement agency evidence collection, handling, and processing

(a) In general The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study— (1) on the evidence collection, handling, response times, and processing procedures and practices of the Office of Justice Services of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in exercising jurisdiction over crimes involving Indians or committed in Indian country; (2) on barriers to evidence collection, handling, response times, and processing identified by the agencies referred to in paragraph (1); (3) on the views of law enforcement officials at the agencies referred to in paragraph (1) and their counterparts within the Offices of the United States Attorneys concerning any relationship between— (A) the barriers identified under paragraph (2); and (B) United States Attorneys declination rates due to insufficient evidence; and (4) that includes a description of barriers to evidence collection, handling, response times, and processing identified and faced by— (A) Tribal law enforcement agencies; and (B) State and local law enforcement agencies that exercise jurisdiction over Indian country. (b) Report Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committees on Indian Affairs, the Judiciary, and Appropriations of the Senate and the Committees on Natural Resources, the Judiciary, and Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report describing the results of the study conducted under subsection (a).

(a) In general The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study— (1) on the evidence collection, handling, response times, and processing procedures and practices of the Office of Justice Services of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in exercising jurisdiction over crimes involving Indians or committed in Indian country; (2) on barriers to evidence collection, handling, response times, and processing identified by the agencies referred to in paragraph (1); (3) on the views of law enforcement officials at the agencies referred to in paragraph (1) and their counterparts within the Offices of the United States Attorneys concerning any relationship between— (A) the barriers identified under paragraph (2); and (B) United States Attorneys declination rates due to insufficient evidence; and (4) that includes a description of barriers to evidence collection, handling, response times, and processing identified and faced by— (A) Tribal law enforcement agencies; and (B) State and local law enforcement agencies that exercise jurisdiction over Indian country. (b) Report Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committees on Indian Affairs, the Judiciary, and Appropriations of the Senate and the Committees on Natural Resources, the Judiciary, and Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report describing the results of the study conducted under subsection (a).