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GMUcovidta t1_j4wdfde wrote

>CBS 6 then submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for communication records among the board related to the Richmond Jail.
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>However, McCord said the board withheld about 125 records, citing two codes that exclude public agencies from mandatory disclosure. One exemption applies to documents containing information about imprisoned people. McCord cited another exemption that allows certain public bodies, such as the Governor's Office, General Assembly, and Department of Corrections, to withhold records. CBS 6 asked which specific public body the cited exemption applies to and awaits a response.
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>Among what the board's FOIA response did include were the most recent inspection and audit reports of the Richmond Jail. State inspectors gave the jail a perfect score on both.

Got to love how CBS 6 won't cite the specific codes

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ludba2002 OP t1_j4wojf8 wrote

It's not common to cite the code number unless it's an analysis article. I see this same thing in articles about tax changes.

Are you thinking they failed to include the code number in order to avoid scrutiny?

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GMUcovidta t1_j4wvddo wrote

Yeah I think their descriptions of the code are meant to be leading

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ludba2002 OP t1_j4wvw5c wrote

Maybe we should err on the side of being more skeptical of government officials denying requests for information than we are of journalists asking for information about inmate deaths.

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GMUcovidta t1_j4wwwpw wrote

I think it's totally reasonable to deny information requests that violate the privacy of specific inmates. It's no different than the CDC denying FOIA requests that would expose individuals medical information.

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ludba2002 OP t1_j4x08un wrote

That presupposes the families of dead inmates don't want the information revealed. And it ignores the public's need to have information to hold government officials accountable when the jail system has repeatedly failed the most basic duty of keeping inmates alive.

If their job is holding prisoners, and prisoners die on their watch, they don't get the benefit of the doubt. They need scrutiny. And the more information they withhold, the more suspicious we should be.

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GMUcovidta t1_j4x2azv wrote

You're just so off base. The public isn't entitled to anyones private information for any reason. There's no indication that anything incriminating is in the communications they requested.

Any sort of government review of the situation would let them review that information and other relevant information without violating anyones rights.

If they give away inmates information to anyone that asks, then that's a major issue.

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kneel_yung t1_j4yalzo wrote

they can (and are supposed to) redact the relevant information only.

So they should still get the report, just have the PII blacked out.

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