(Thread) Almost 2 years ago, I wrote a @pogo.org investigation about discrepancies in how the Bureau of Indian Affairs tracks deaths in custody. It raised flags about due diligence in its procurement process for the review of these deaths. Well, it looks like today we finally have some answers... - ThreadSky

marenmachles.bsky.social • 71 days ago

(Thread) Almost 2 years ago, I wrote a @pogo.org investigation about discrepancies in how the Bureau of Indian Affairs tracks deaths in custody. It raised flags about due diligence in its procurement process for the review of these deaths. Well, it looks like today we finally have some answers...

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marenmachles.bsky.social•71 days ago

Today, the Interior's Office of Inspector General published a summary of its investigation into the BIA procurement process, and whether or not the agency properly awarded a contract to The Cruzan Group back in 2021 to look at the investigations into deaths in BIA custody from 2016 to 2020.

marenmachles.bsky.social•71 days ago

The Cruzan Group's president and managing partner is Darren Cruzan, who was previously the director of BIA Office of Justice Services which oversees the agency's 90+ detention facilities and law enforcement.

marenmachles.bsky.social•71 days ago

POGO's General Counsel Scott Amey sent a letter in June 2022 to then-Inspector General Mark Greenblatt requesting an investigation into the organizational and individual conflicts of interests posed by this award. https://www.pogo.org/policy-letters/letter-requesting-interiors-office-of-inspector-general-to-investigate-cruzan-group-contract

marenmachles.bsky.social•71 days ago

Amey said, "The government has already failed the nation twice, first by failing to prevent the death of individuals in its custody and then by entrusting the review of the investigations into those deaths to a consulting firm founded by the person responsible for the safety the individuals."

marenmachles.bsky.social•71 days ago

In June 2023, POGO published an investigation I wrote about this contract and the resulting report we obtained via FOIA. Our investigation also found that 9 of the 16 deaths under review happened on Darren Cruzan's watch. https://www.pogo.org/investigations/missing-indigenous-deaths-in-custody

marenmachles.bsky.social•71 days ago

We also found discrepancies between the deaths in custody acknowledged during The Cruzan Group review, and the deaths that the BIA had previously reported to the Justice Department as required for the Death In Custody Reporting Act (DCRA).

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