USOA

The United States Ombudsman Association Governmental Ombudsman Standards (pdf) were approved on October 14, 2003 by the [...]

The United States Ombudsman Association Model Ombudsman Act for State Governments were approved approved on February 11, 1997 by the United States Ombudsman Association’s Board of Directors.

This collection of materials has been used by scholars to research and produce a large number of works on the plausibility of, need for, and success of Ombudsmen throughout the world.

A classical Ombudsman functions in government to receive and investigate complaints. The irreducible minimum characteristics such an Ombudsman must have are: Independence, Impartiality and Fairness, Credibility of the Review Process, and Confidentiality.

What I'd like to do today is tell you a little about what an Ombudsman is and what it is not, and then talk about how having an Ombudsman in your state can benefit you, the legislators you serve and the constituents they represent.

Government ombudsman structures vary greatly from one country to another, and within a particular country as well. There are few places that one will find a greater number of ombudsman adaptations than in the United States of America.

An Act to Establish an Ombudsman Privilege ... a person appointed under a federal or state statute or local ordinance creating an ombudsman's office to investigate complaints regarding governmental agencies, officials, or employees, and who practices according to the law establishing the office

For as long as government has existed, guaranteeing citizens fair and equitable treatment under the law has been an issue and various protections have been utilized over the years. In modern times the public sector Ombudsman, where instituted, has been a successful and valuable guarantor of citizens' rights. By impartial and independent investigation of citizens' complaints, it have provided an informal and accessible avenue of redress.

This article was excerpted from the Journalism of the International Ombudsman Association, Spring 2011 edition.