FOIA Frequently Asked Questions
Must I submit a FOIA request to receive agency records from CSOSA?
What should a FOIA request contain?
What
are the fees for a FOIA request?
Does
CSOSA have an on-site FOIA reading room?
Does CSOSA have an electronic reading room?
How do I submit a FOIA request to CSOSA?
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). CSOSA'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 CSOSA’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, CSOSA 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.
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Must I submit a FOIA request to receive agency records from CSOSA?
See CSOSA’s Electronic Reading Room and the CSOSA Guide for FOIA Requestors.
You may want to submit a FOIA request from CSOSA'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
- (202)220-5355 Voice
- (202)220-5350 Fax
- Attn: Renee Barley, FOIA Officer
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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).
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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.
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Does CSOSA 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." Because CSOSA rarely receives requests to
review FOIA records onsite, the agency does not maintain a permanent
reading room. Upon reasonable notice, CSOSA will make space available
for reading room purposes at its office in Washington, D.C.
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How do I submit a FOIA request to CSOSA?
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
Or, you may fax your request to (202)
220-5350, attention Renee Barley, FOIA Officer. If you send your request
by facsimile, you need not mail a follow-up letter.
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If this information has not answered all
of your FOIA questions, please contact CSOSA’s FOIA Officer, Renee
Barley, at (202) 220-5355 or Tina Clagett, FOIA Specialist, at (202)
220-5355.
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