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Audit

Audit  Audit of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security

Our office conducted a performance audit of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) for the period July 1, 2020 through October 31, 2022.

Organization: Office of the State Auditor
Date published: August 8, 2024

Executive Summary

In accordance with Section 12 of Chapter 11 of the Massachusetts General Laws, the Office of the State Auditor has conducted a performance audit of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) for the period July 1, 2020 through October 31, 2022.

The purpose of our audit was to determine the following: 

  • whether EOPSS ensured that information entered into its master database from the Provider Sexual Crime Report (PSCR) forms was free of personally identifiable information (PII) of survivors of sexual assault in accordance with Section 12A1/2 of Chapter 112 of the General Laws;  
  • whether EOPSS ensured that previously untested investigatory sexual assault evidence collection kits (SAECKs) were reviewed for quantity-limited evidence (QLIM)1 and that district attorneys’ offices were notified of the review results within 90 days of the effective date of Section 2(a) of Chapter 35 of the Acts of 2021;
  • whether EOPSS ensured that the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory (MSPCL) shipped previously untested investigatory SAECKs that were identified as not containing QLIM to an accredited crime laboratory for DNA testing within 180 days of the effective date of Section 2(b) of Chapter 35 of the Acts of 2021; 
  • whether EOPSS submitted “Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit (SAECK) Quarterly Reports” in accordance with Section 2(c) of Chapter 35 of the Acts of 2021; and 
  • whether EOPSS ensured that law enforcement agencies and other responsible entities correctly tracked the location and status of SAECKs in accordance with Section 18X(b)(i) of Chapter 6A of the General Laws. 

Below is a summary of our findings and recommendations, with links to each page listed.  

  
Finding 1
 		EOPSS did not ensure that its PSCR data was free of PII.
Recommendations
 
  1. EOPSS should review its PSCR master database for any PII. In instances where PII is found, the associated PSCR form should be redacted.
  2. EOPSS should establish processes and controls to periodically review its PSCR master database to ensure that there is no PII present within its data.
  3. EOPSS should communicate to medical facilities that survivors’ confidential information is not to be included in any capacity within the PSCR form.
  4. EOPSS should provide training to Office of Grants and Research employees to ensure that they know not to include PII when entering data into the master database.
Finding 2
 		EOPSS did not ensure that MSPCL met the 90-day timeframe for the QLIM review of previously untested SAECKs.
Recommendation
 		EOPSS should ensure that MSPCL enhances controls to meet the regulated deadlines for SAECKs and QLIM reviews.
Finding 3
 		EOPSS did not ensure that MSPCL shipped SAECKs in a timely manner.
Recommendation
 		EOPSS should ensure that MSPCL ships the remaining previously untested investigatory SAECKs.
Finding 4
 		EOPSS’s Track-Kit system showed incorrect locations for SAECKs. 
Recommendations
 
  1. EOPSS should educate local law enforcement agencies about the importance of updating the Track-Kit system with the physical locations of SAECKs.
  2. EOPSS should periodically audit the locations of SAECKs to ensure that the Track-Kit system is up-to-date.


 

1.    According to Section 8.02 of Title 515 of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations, evidence is considered quantity-limited “when [the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory] determines that the item . . . will require exhaustive testing during DNA analysis in order to maximize the potential for obtaining DNA results.”   

Table of Contents

Appendix

Downloads

Contact

Phone

Main (617) 727-2075

Online

Auditor@MassAuditor.gov

Fax

(617) 727-3014

Address

Massachusetts State House
Room 230
Boston, MA 02133
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