Brookings Institution Press has published U.S. Inspectors General: Truth Tellers in Turbulent Times by Dr. Charles A. Johnson and Dr. Kathryn E. Newcomer (George Washington University). This book provides an in-depth exploration of United States inspectors general who investigates waste, fraud, and mismanagement in federal agencies and promotes efficiency and effectiveness in federal programs without regard to partisan interests.
U.S. inspectors general are nonpartisan appointees who are independent of the agencies they monitor and report to the executive and congressional branches of government. Inspector general investigations often draw considerable media and public attention when they uncover serious misdeeds or mismanagement.
Based on in-depth case studies, a survey of inspectors general, and a review of public documents, Johnson and Newcomer explore how inspectors general operate, the work they do, and their impact. Their analysis emphasizes the “strategic environment” of inspectors general in which they work and how they interact with stakeholders inside and outside of the government. Research for this book was supported by a competitively awarded grant from the IBM Center for the Business of Government and by each of the co-author’s academic institutions. Read further information.
Johnson is professor emeritus of political science and dean emeritus of liberal arts at Texas A&M University. He joined the Texas A&M faculty in 1978 and served as department head of political science (1992 – 2001) and dean of liberal arts (2001-2009). Dr. Newcomer is a professor of public administration at the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at the George Washington University and served as director of the Trachtenberg School (2009 – 2019).
On Sept. 1, 2022, the Department of Political Science became part of the Bush School of Government & Public Service.
