In March of 2011, Knox County Law Director Joe Jarrett recommended to the Knox County Commission that a financial audit be conducted of the Knox County Drug Court. This was to determine the drug court’s viability. Richard Walls, CPA, CIA, County Auditor conducted the audit. This was the first audit of this type for the Knox County Drug Court.
On July 6, 2011, at 1:00 PM in the Main Assembly Room of the City County Building, Knoxville, TN at their regular meeting, the audit report was made public by the Knox County Audit Committee. In that meeting, Mr. Walls reported that there were 3 minor finding. He stated that minor findings are typical and can be expected in any department. He also told the Audit Committee that two of the findings were not the responsibility of the Knox Drug Court’s but rather the Knox County Finance Department’s. Mr Walls also stated that in his study of the Program he estimated that the Knox Drug Court has saved taxpayers over $4,000,000.00 in jail costs alone.
Then on July 13, 2011, Mr. Walls reported to the Knox Drug Court Board. Members had an opportunity to question Mr. Walls about the Audit and ask questions to Drug Court Director, about the financial structure of the drug court. During this meeting, Mr. Walls reported that he had been told early in his career that “There are two types of audits, bad audits and really bad audits. I am happy to say that this audit was neither.”
At the end of the meeting, the board thanked Mr. Walls for a thorough report.
Click on the link below to read Richard Walls Financial Report in its entirety.