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Public Records and Freedom of Information Act Requests: An Underutilized Tool for Change

Learn how to make effective public records requests to obtain valuable information, bring about change, and hold authorities accountable. This guide provides step-by-step instructions and additional considerations to maximize your success.

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Public Records and Freedom of Information Act Requests: An Underutilized Tool for Change

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  1. Public Records and Freedom of Information Act Requests: An Underutilized Tool for Change National Juvenile Defender Summit 2011 – Seattle, Washington October 21, 2011 Sue Burrell, Youth Law Center

  2. Public Records and Freedom of Information Act Requests: An Underutilized Tool for Change Why Make Public Records Requests? • Fast • Easy • Cheap • They have to respond • Great way to pin down facts • You may get more than was requested • Sometimes the request brings desired result

  3. Public Records and Freedom of Information Act Requests: An Underutilized Tool for Change How to Make a Public Records Request • Review the statutory language to frame request • Be aware of any exemptions or privileges in the law • Use the catchall language in the law, but also include specific document descriptions you know about • Give reasonable time frames for documents requested • Make each component of the request as specific as possible • Tell the recipient what you are not asking for

  4. Public Records and Freedom of Information Act Requests: An Underutilized Tool for Change How to Make a Public Records Request (continued) • Review the statutory language to frame request • Be aware of any exemptions or privileges in the law • Use the catchall language in the law, but also include specific document descriptions you know about • Give reasonable time frames for documents requested • Make each component of the request as specific as possible • Tell the recipient what you are not asking for

  5. Public Records and Freedom of Information Act Requests: An Underutilized Tool for Change Additional Considerations • Decide whether to include a contextual introduction to allay fear • Invite the recipient to call you for clarification • Consider offering to copy the documents yourself on site • Inform the recipient that you expect a response within the statutory time frame • If timelines are not met, send a follow up letter with the statutory language and original request

  6. Public Records and Freedom of Information Act Requests: An Underutilized Tool for Change Contact Information: Sue Burrell , Staff Attorney Youth Law Center 200 Pine Street, Suite 300 San Francisco, CA 94104 (415) 543-3379; sburrell@ylc.org  www.ylc.org

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