Like all federal agencies, the District of Columbia
Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) is required under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) to disclose records requested in writing
by any person.
However, agencies may withhold information pursuant to nine exemptions
and three exclusions contained in the statute. The FOIA applies
only to federal agencies and does not create a right of access to
records held by Congress, the courts, or by state or local government
agencies. Each state has its own public access laws that should
be consulted for access to state and local records. Each agency
is responsible for meeting its FOIA responsibilities for its own
records.
Each PSA component is responsible for processing FOIA requests
for the records it maintains. If you plan to make a FOIA request
to the District of Columbia Pretrial Services Agency, you should
review our agency's FOIA Electronic Reading Room which contains
information already available to the public.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is FOIA?
The FOIA, or Freedom of Information Act, is a Federal law that
provides for public access to agency records. The FOIA is located
in Section 552 of Title 5 of the United States Code (5 U.S.C. 552).
DC PSA'S FOIA regulations will be located at Parts 800-899 of Title
28 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 8 (28 C.F.R., Chapter
8, Parts 800-899).
Any agency records in PSA's possession or control are subject to
the FOIA. The requested records will be provided in full, unless
one or more of the nine FOIA exemptions applies. For example, PSA
may withhold confidential business information that is contained
within an agency record. The nine exemptions are all described in
detail in the text of the FOIA.
Must I submit a FOIA request to receive agency records
from PSA?
See PSA’s Electronic Reading Room and the CSOSA Guide for
FOIA Requestors. You may want to submit a FOIA request from PSA's
Office of General Counsel: Court Services & Offender Supervision
Agency Attn: Renee Barley, FOIA Officer 633 Indiana Avenue, NW Room
1254 Washington, DC 20004-2902
What should a FOIA request contain?
You must submit your request in writing. Please include your name,
organization (if any), address, and phone number. Also, you must
reasonably describe the records you seek – the more detail
you give us, the more quickly we will be able to respond. You may
even specify the format (e.g., computer disk) in which you would
like the information released. We will make a reasonable effort
to provide the information to you in your requested format. Finally,
you must state your willingness to pay fees (you may state the maximum
amount you are willing to pay) or request a waiver of fees (see
below).
What are the fees for a FOIA request?
In many cases, FOIA requesters are not charged any fees by CSOSA.
The FOIA, however, permits agencies to recover part of the cost
incurred in complying with FOIA requests. Specifically, CSOSA may
recover the following costs: Search Time: $14 per quarter hour Review
Time: $14 per quarter hour Photocopying: 25¢ per page Please
note that CSOSA will provide records to educational institutions,
non-commercial scientific institutions, and representatives of the
news media for the cost of reproduction alone. Further, no fee will
be charged to such entities for the costs of photocopying the first
100 pages of documents. Commercial use requesters will be charged
all costs listed above. Requesters that are not otherwise described
in this paragraph will be charged for search and duplication, but
will not be charged for the first two hours of search time or the
costs of photocopying the first 100 pages of documents. Please note
that CSOSA is authorized to recover search and review costs even
if no responsive records are found or, after review, there is no
disclosure of records. A waiver or reduction of fees may be authorized
in cases where disclosure of information is in the public interest
because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding
of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily
in the commercial interest of the requester.
Does PSA have an on-site FOIA reading room?
The FOIA requires agencies to make certain records available for
public inspection and copying in an agency "reading room."
Since PSA rarely receives requests to review FOIA records onsite,
the agency does not maintain a permanent reading room. Upon reasonable
notice, however, PSA will make space available for reading room
purposes at its office in Washington, D.C.
Does PSA have an electronic reading room?
Yes. PSA's Electronic Reading Room contains documents specifically
identified for inclusion by the Electronic FOIA Amendments of 1996,
Pub. L. No. 104-231. Other documents of general interest will also
be included. Documents will be added on an ongoing basis as they
are created or identified.
How do I submit a FOIA request to PSA?
You may mail your FOIA request to: Renee Barley, FOIA Officer Court
Services & Offender Supervision Agency 633 Indiana Avenue, NW
Room 1254 Washington, DC 20004-2902
I still have FOIA questions concerning PSA.
If this information has not answered all of your FOIA questions,
please contact CSOSA’s FOIA Officer, Renee Barley, at (202)
220-5355.
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