Inspection and oversight
is essential to success in all organizations including Federal,
state and local agencies, as well as independent, and private
sector entities including corporations. It takes place in four
modes - investigation and inspection, assessment and evaluation,
financial and programmatic auditing, and regulation enforcement
and compliance assessment.
Many inspection
and oversight agencies are headed by an official with the title
"Inspector General," but the broad functions are also
carried out by comptrollers, legislative analysts, independent
public interest organizations, accounting and auditing firms,
investigative journalists, and court-appointed compliance monitors.
Because the
functions and activities of inspection and oversight organizations
are diverse, the experience and qualifications of professionals
in the field are also diverse. Organizations employ investigators,
auditors, forensic accountants, program analysts with writing
and research skills, lawyers, field inspectors, as well as professionals
in supporting fields to manage information systems, present public
information, and analyze and manage evidence.
For more than
20 years, the MPA Inspector General Program at John Jay College
has been the only public policy and administration degree program
expressly designed to support this important field.
