Notice2022-15486
Notice of Virtual Listening Session
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 20, 2022
Issuing agencies
Defense Department
Abstract
The Department of Defense Internal Review Team on Racial Disparities in the Investigative and Military Justice Systems will host a virtual listening session on July 27, 2022. The purpose of this session is to receive oral feedback from a variety of groups on topics of general interest to the Internal Review Team. Target respondent groups include: (1) racial affinity groups with an interest in criminal justice, law enforcement, or racial equity in the military; (2) professional organizations representing criminal justice or law enforcement personnel, advocacy groups focused on the military justice system, and organizations focused on issues relating to race, justice, and the law; (3) members of Congress and staff of the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and interested House Caucuses; (4) components of other Federal agencies, Congressionally-chartered organizations, and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers; and (5) "think tanks" and members of academia with significant experience in issues at the intersection of race and policing, criminal justice, or the military justice system. Groups and other interested members of the public may also attend the virtual listening session on a "view/listen only" basis. Groups and interested members of the public are also invited to submit written feedback, including related data and research. For more information on this event see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this announcement.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 138 (Wednesday, July 20, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 20, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43253-43255]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15486]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Notice of Virtual Listening Session
AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD).
ACTION: Notice; announcement of virtual listening session.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense Internal Review Team on Racial
Disparities in the Investigative and Military Justice Systems will host
a virtual listening session on July 27, 2022. The purpose of this
session is to receive oral feedback from a variety of groups on topics
of general interest to the Internal Review Team. Target respondent
groups include: (1) racial affinity groups with an interest in criminal
justice, law enforcement, or racial equity in the military; (2)
professional organizations representing criminal justice or law
enforcement personnel, advocacy groups focused on the military justice
system, and organizations focused on issues relating to race, justice,
and the law; (3) members of Congress and staff of the Committees on
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and
interested House Caucuses; (4) components of other Federal agencies,
Congressionally-chartered organizations, and Federally Funded Research
and Development Centers; and (5) ``think tanks'' and members of
academia with significant experience in issues at the intersection of
race and policing, criminal justice, or the military justice system.
Groups and other interested members of the public may also attend the
virtual listening session on a ``view/listen only'' basis. Groups and
interested members of the public are also invited to submit written
feedback, including related data and research. For more information on
this event see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this
announcement.
DATES: The Internal Review Team on Racial Disparities in the
Investigative and Military Justice Systems will host a virtual
listening session on July 27, 2022. The virtual listening session will
be conducted via live webcast and will be open to participation by a
variety of groups interested in providing oral feedback. In addition,
groups and interested members of the public may participate in all or
part of the virtual listening session in a ``view/listen only'' mode.
The session will start at 10:00 a.m. eastern time (ET) and will end no
later than 2:00 p.m. ET. Virtual check-in for the event will begin at
9:00 a.m. ET. The deadline for groups to register
[[Page 43254]]
to provide oral feedback during the session is 12:00 p.m. ET on July
20, 2022. The deadline for groups and interested members of the public
to register to participate in a ``view/listen only'' mode is 12:00 p.m.
ET on July 22, 2022. The deadline for groups and interested members of
the public to submit written feedback for consideration by the Internal
Review Team is 12:00 p.m. ET on July 22, 2022; written feedback
received after the deadline will not be reviewed. Instructions on
registration and the submission of oral and written feedback are set
forth in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this announcement.
ADDRESSES: The virtual listening session can be accessed via the
internet and/or telephone. Access information and codes will be
provided to those groups and interested members of the public who
register for the event. The total number of participants in the virtual
listening session will be limited to the maximum allowed by the live
webcast platform.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Katrina Logan, IRT Executive
Secretary, at (703) 839-5173 (this is not a toll free number) or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b9d2d8cdcbd0d7d897d597d5d6ded8d78d97dad0cff9d4d8d0d597d4d0d5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8ce7edf8fee5e2eda2e0a2e0e3ebede2b8a2efe5facce1ede5e0a2e1e5e0">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
In May 2019, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued its
report, DoD and the Coast Guard Need to Improve their Capabilities to
Assess Racial and Gender Disparities (GAO-19-344). GAO analyzed all
offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and found that
Black and Hispanic servicemembers were more likely than white
servicemembers to be the subjects of investigations in all of the
Military Services and were more likely to be tried by court-martial in
the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. GAO recommended that the
Secretary of Defense take steps to identify and address the causes of
disparities in these systems.
On May 3, 2022, the Deputy Secretary of Defense directed the
establishment of the Internal Review Team on Racial Disparities in the
Investigative and Military Justice Systems to provide actionable
recommendations the Department can implement to improve strategies,
programs, policies, processes, and resources to address racial
disparities in the investigative and military justice systems. The
Internal Review Team comprises military General Officers and members of
the Department of Defense Senior Executive Service who, with the
support of subject matter experts, will focus their full-time efforts
on this review. The Internal Review Team began its work on June 1,
2022, and is charged to provide its findings and recommendations to the
Deputy Secretary not later than August 24, 2022.
II. Oral and Written Feedback Requested
The Internal Review Team will host a virtual listening session to
obtain oral feedback from a variety of groups on topics of general
interest to the Internal Review Team. Target respondent groups include:
(1) racial affinity groups with an interest in criminal justice, law
enforcement, or racial equity in the military; (2) professional
organizations representing criminal justice or law enforcement
personnel, advocacy groups focused on the military justice system, and
organizations focused on issues relating to race, justice, and the law;
(3) members of Congress and staff of the Committees on Armed Services
of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and interested House
Caucuses; (4) components of other Federal agencies, Congressionally-
chartered organizations, and Federally Funded Research and Development
Centers; and (5) ``think tanks'' and members of academia with
significant experience in issues at the intersection of race and
policing, criminal justice, or the military justice system. Groups and
other interested members of the public may also participate in the
virtual listening session on a ``view/listen only'' basis. Regardless
of participation in the virtual listening session, groups and
interested members of the public are invited to submit written
feedback, including data and research. The Internal Review Team intends
to consider feedback received prior to and during the session to inform
its findings and recommendations to the Deputy Secretary of Defense.
III. Instructions for Registration and Participation in the Virtual
Listening Session
Recording: The virtual listening session will be recorded and a
copy maintained in the records of the Internal Review Team.
Oral Feedback: Groups that wish to provide oral feedback during the
virtual listening session must register to do so not later than 12:00
p.m. ET, on July 20, 2022.
To register to provide oral feedback, groups must send an email to
the Internal Review Team electronic ``drop box'' at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3a5e555e5e53494a5b48534e535f497a5754585e5f5c5f54495f14595557"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="77131813131e040716051e031e1204371a1915131211121904125914181a">[email protected]</span></a>. The registration email must include: (1)
the sender's name and the name of the group the sender represents; (2)
a statement that the group wishes to provide oral feedback during the
virtual listening session; and (3) a valid email address to which the
Internal Review Team can send additional administrative information,
including virtual listening session access codes. The virtual listening
session will be conducted informally. Each group that has registered to
provide oral feedback should be represented during the virtual
listening session by no more than two persons. There will be no
opportunity for audio-visual presentations during the session. A
group's oral feedback will be limited to 10 minutes per group
(regardless of the number of people representing the group). To enable
the participation of as many groups as possible, these time limits will
be strictly enforced. At the expiration of the 10 minutes allotted for
each group, the group will be expected to cede the floor to the next
presenter, and may be ``cut off'' by the session administrator, if
required. Groups will be scheduled to provide oral feedback in the
order in which their completed registration email (including all
required information) was received in the IRT electronic ``drop box''
at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#781c171c1c110b08190a110c111d0b3815161a1c1d1e1d160b1d561b1715"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="aecac1cacac7dddecfdcc7dac7cbddeec3c0cccacbc8cbc0ddcb80cdc1c3">[email protected]</span></a>. Each registered group will be invited
to provide feedback, in the prescribed order, until the four hours
allotted for the virtual listening session expires. Not later than
12:00 p.m. ET on July 25, 2022, registered groups will be informed of
the order in which each will present during the virtual listening
session. At the expiration of the four-hour session, no further oral
feedback will be accepted from any group, even if properly registered.
Groups registering to provide oral feedback are also welcomed to
provide written copies of their expected remarks, but any written
material must be received by 12:00 p.m. ET on July 22, 2022.
Participating members of the Internal Review Team will be in a
``listening and learning'' posture during the virtual session, but may
ask a participating group to clarify or expand on its presentation. Due
to the deliberative nature of the Internal Review Team's work, members
of the Team are unable to discuss their thoughts, plans, or intentions
for specific recommendations that will ultimately be made to the Deputy
Secretary of Defense.
``View/Listen Only'' Registration: The deadline for groups and
interested members of the public to register to participate in the
virtual listening session in a ``view/listen only'' mode is
[[Page 43255]]
12:00 p.m. ET, on July 22, 2022. To register for the ``view/listen
only'' option, groups and interested members of the public must send an
email to the Internal Review Team electronic ``drop box'' at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b7d3d8d3d3dec4c7d6c5dec3ded2c4f7dad9d5d3d2d1d2d9c4d299d4d8da"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2b4f444f4f42585b4a59425f424e586b4645494f4e4d4e45584e05484446">[email protected]</span></a>. The email must include: (1) the
statement, ``We are/I am registering for the `view/listen only'
option''; and (2) a valid email address to which the Internal Review
Team can send any additional administrative information, including
session access codes. ``View/Listen Only'' participants will not be
able to present, ask questions, or provide commentary orally or through
written means during the virtual listening session; their microphones/
phones/audio lines will be muted, and no chat function will be
available.
Written Feedback: Regardless of participation in the virtual
listening session, groups and interested members of the public are
invited to submit written feedback to the Internal Review Team,
including data and research. The deadline for submission of written
feedback for consideration by the Team is 12:00 p.m. ET, on July 22,
2022. Written feedback received after the deadline will not be
reviewed. Written feedback must be submitted via email to the Internal
Review Team electronic ``drop box'' at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#99fdf6fdfdf0eae9f8ebf0edf0fcead9f4f7fbfdfcfffcf7eafcb7faf6f4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6b0f040f0f02181b0a19021f020e182b0605090f0e0d0e05180e45080406">[email protected]</span></a>.
Written feedback may include attachments and should include a cover
sheet referencing the total number of pages of written feedback
submitted and the date and page number of this issue of the Federal
Register.
General Instructions for Oral and Written Feedback: Groups and
interested members of the public are encouraged to provide oral and/or
written feedback (as indicated above) in regard to some or all of the
four topics of general interest to the Internal Review Team set forth
below, but may provide other relevant feedback for consideration. Both
oral and written feedback may be structured as the submitter sees fit.
Oral or written feedback should not include: (1) proprietary or
copyrighted information or (2) personally identifiable information
beyond that minimally necessary for self-identification (e.g., name of
individual and title within organization, if applicable).
Virtual Accommodations: If you are a group that will provide oral
feedback during the virtual session or a group or any interested member
of the public who will participate in ``view/listen only'' mode and
require a reasonable accommodation, please make requests for sign
language interpretation or other reasonable accommodation in advance,
by including your request in the registration email sent to the
Internal Review Team electronic ``drop box'' at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bbdfd4dfdfd2c8cbdac9d2cfd2dec8fbd6d5d9dfdeddded5c8de95d8d4d6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8de9e2e9e9e4fefdecffe4f9e4e8fecde0e3efe9e8ebe8e3fee8a3eee2e0">[email protected]</span></a>, not later than 12:00 p.m. on July 22,
2022. Decisions regarding reasonable accommodation requests will be
made on a case-by-case basis.
Cancellation: Should it be necessary to cancel the virtual
listening session due to technical issues, an emergency, or for other
reasons, the Internal Review Team will take available measures to
notify registered groups and persons.
IV. Topics of General Interest to the Internal Review Team
(1) The root causes of racial disparities in the investigative and
military justice systems of the Department of Defense.
(2) In considering actions to address the root causes of racial
disparities in the DoD investigative and military justice systems, the
specific actions that would have the most significant effects in the
short term and specific actions that will require the Department's
long-term engagement and commitment.
(3) Performance factors or metrics the DoD could apply to measure
progress in mitigating or eliminating racial disparities in its
investigative and military justice systems.
(4) Best practices for addressing racial disparities in other
contexts that should be considered to address racial disparities in the
investigative and military justice systems of the Department of
Defense.
Dated: July 15, 2022.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2022-15486 Filed 7-19-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P
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