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GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE REPORT SHOWS THOUSANDS OF LOST NATURALIZATION CASES 
According to a recent letter from the Government Accounting Office, the INS office in Chicago may have lost about 4000 applications for citizenship.  The report says that the INS admits that the files in Chicago, and almost 45,000 in Los Angeles, were lost by the Nebraska and California Service Centers during 1997 and 1998 during the processing of computerizing records.  
Many of the cases were discovered and entered into the database by hand, but the INS is still not sure it has accounted for each case.  The INS is trying to address the problem by instructing local offices to interview people who had naturalization applications filed by July 1, 1998 by September 30, 2000. 
The INS says that the problem that led to the lost cases has been corrected.  However, differences in computer systems among INS offices mean that some cases still continue to be lost.  According to the INS, this problem should be fixed by the end of the year. 
The report also addressed the INS’ use of its employee’s courtesy in dealing with the public as a factor in employee evaluations.  At the three of the offices examined, the Chicago District Office, the California Service Center and the Nebraska Service Center, courtesy was a factor in evaluations of employees who work directly with the public.  At the other office examined, the Los Angeles District Office, courtesy was a factor only for information officers.  Adjudicators and application clerks were evaluated on whether the interviews were properly conducted.  While courtesy was not specifically mentioned, an official in Los Angeles did say that courtesy is considered in determining whether the interview was properly conducted.