Advocates for reform of DC Jail reported Thursday (11) on six recommendations about facilities and programs, but they save the seventh to blast the District government for how hard it had been to track down facts about the Jail and the privately-run annex, CTF.
"Public records are difficult to obtain," wrote the authors. "The process for obtaining public records regarding the District's correctional system is complex, time-consuming, occasionally befuddling, and sometimes fruitless."
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From CorrectionsOne.com: TULSA, Okla — Fifteen months after the Tulsa World requested public records relating to the now-gutted Justice Reinvestment Initiative, Gov. Mary Fallin’s office has released more than 8,000 records related to the prison reforms.
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Read More… from Records on Okla. prison reforms are released
From SFGate: The Idaho Department of Correction and attorneys representing inmates at the Idaho State Correctional Institution have quietly reached an agreement that could permanently hide from public view records connected to the medical care provided at the prison.
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Read More… from Idaho agrees to keep some prison records secret
A few state FOIA and local open government news items selected from many of interest that we might or might not have drawn attention to earlier in the week. While you're at it, be sure to check out State FOIA Friday Archives.
Private prison firm CCA defends record on transparency in Vt.
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From Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: The county must obtain and release the settlement between a nonprofit that provides medical services at the Allegheny County Jail and a former inmate because the county created, funds and shares offices with the organization, the state Office of Open Records ruled Monday in response to an appeal filed by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
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Read More… from Trib wins appeal to open records in settlement with former county inmate
From VTDigger.org: The Vermont ACLU is suing the nation’s largest private prison company for allegedly ignoring public records requests about Vermont prisoners.
The question at the heart of the lawsuit is whether or not the state’s public records act can be applied to a private corporation that is performing duties for a public agency. Vermont ACLU attorney Dan Barrett says he’s confident it can.
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Read More… from Vermont ACLU sues private prison company over public records
From Courthouse News Service: AUSTIN (CN) – Prison Legal News sued the Corrections Corporation of America, the nation's largest private prison contractor, for records about its contracts in Texas and lawsuits filed against CCA there.
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Read More… from NFOIC’s State FOIA Friday for April 12, 2013
From The Republic:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The state Court of Appeals is again taking up a public records case involving a private prison company and a magazine that advocates for inmate rights.
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