Page 1 GAO-25-108009 DOJ Priority Recommendations
Comptroller General
of the United States
May 2, 2025
The Honorable Pamela Bondi
Attorney General
Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20530
Priority Open Recommendations: Department of Justice
Dear Attorney General Bondi:
Congratulations on your appointment. The purpose of this letter is to call your personal attention
to four areas based on GAO’s past work and 17 open priority recommendations, which are
enclosed.
1
Additionally, there are 90 other GAO open recommendations that we will continue to
work with your staff to address.
We are highlighting the following areas that warrant your timely and focused attention.
Specifically:
Management of the Federal Prison System. The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is responsible for
the care, custody, safety, and rehabilitation of approximately 155,000 incarcerated people.
However, prison buildings are deteriorating and in need of repair and maintenance, and facilities
are understaffed, putting both incarcerated people and staff at risk. Moreover, efforts to prevent
recidivism have not been thoroughly evaluated, undermining a key goal to help incarcerated
people make a successful transition into society once released. As a result, we added
management of the federal prison system to GAO’s High-Risk List in 2023.
2
Our work has highlighted the need for BOP to address critical staffing shortages, improve its
implementation of the First Step Act of 2018 (First Step Act)
3
, and better oversee its use of
restrictive housing. Taking our recommended actions could help ensure the safety and security
of incarcerated people and staff and help ensure the successful reintegration of incarcerated
people into the community.
Countering Domestic Terrorism. Several federal agency threat assessments issued since
2021 reported that the domestic terrorism threat will continue to persist or rise in the future.
1
GAO considers a recommendation to be a priority if when implemented, it may significantly improve government
operations, for example, by realizing large dollar savings; eliminating mismanagement, fraud, and abuse; or making
progress toward addressing a high-risk or duplication issue.
2
GAO, High-Risk Series: Efforts Made to Achieve Progress Need to be Maintained and Expanded to Fully Address
All Areas, GAO-23-106203 (Washington, D.C.: Apr. 20, 2023).
3
Pub. L. No. 115-391, 132 Stat. 5194.
