NCJ Number
80871
Date Published
Unknown
Length
0 pages
Annotation
A representative of the Office of General Counsel (OGC) describes the structure LEAA has developed to handle Freedom of Information Act requests in the House of Representatives. The requirements of the act and their implications on agency policy are also addressed.
Abstract
Requests under the act are funneled through the Office of the Executive Secretariat. This office and each of LEAA's regional offices will keep a log of all requests made; OGC will maintain a central log. OGC will have oversight capacity to determine that requests for information fall under the act; OGC will make reports directly to the Office of the Attorney General. The overall coordinator is the Office of the Executive Secretariat. OGC is the legal counsel, determining what requests are fulfilled or denied; individual coordinators will be assigned to each regional office. Currently, 12 to 20 requests for information under the act are being made every day. The act requires that agencies make the information available for copying, that they publish the requests, and that any request for records be answered promptly unless the request falls under certain exemptions. Thus, agencies will have to set aside space for public reading rooms and provide indexes to the requested material. The Department of Justice (DOJ) requires that the information be given within 10 days. The importance of abiding by time schedules is emphasized in this talk, for the person requesting information can go to court and get immediate action to grant any request that has not been provided within the 10-day period. Telephone requests for information under DOJ guidelines are also discussed.