STANDARDS RELATING TO JUVENILE RECORDS AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS - TENTATIVE DRAFT

• NCJ Number: 44243
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 172 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; American Bar Endowment; Andrew W Mellon Foundation; Vincent Astor Foundation; Herman Goldman Foundation; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Sale Source: Ballinger Publishing Co
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THESE STANDARDS CONCERN INFORMATION AND RECORDKEEPING SYSTEMS WHICH WILL SAFEGUARD THE PRIVACY INTERESTS OF JUVENILES AND WILL PROMOTE FAIR AND EFFICIENT DECISIONMAKING.

Abstract

THIS VOLUME ARTICULATES GENERAL STANDARDS PERTAINING TO INFORMATION USES AND ABUSES AND FOCUSES ON THE SPECIAL ISSUES THAT APPLY TO JUVENILES. THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE GENERAL STANDARDS IN THE MORE SPECIFIC CONTEXT OF THREE SPECIAL AREAS OF CONCERN IS DEVELOPED: JUVENILE COURTS, SOCIAL HISTORIES, AND POLICE RECORDS. THE IMPORTANCE OF DESIGNING AN INFORMATION SYSTEM WHICH IS SENSITIVE TO THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF JUVENILES IS STRESSED. ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED IN DESIGNING AN INFORMATION SYSTEM INCLUDE: THE NATURE OF BEING A JUVENILE, THE IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION, THE GOVERNMENT'S OBLIGATION TO PROTECT JUVENILES, THE ROLE OF MAXIMUM INFORMATION, THE CONCEPT OF PRIVACY, AND THE CONSISTENCY OF INSTITUTIONAL GOALS AND PRIVACY. TO PROMOTE VISIBILITY OF THE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES OF JUVENILE AGENCIES, EACH AGENCY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO DEVELOP RULES AND REGULATIONS AND SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO CONDUCT PERIODIC AUDITS OF INFORMATION COLLECTION PRACTICES AND POLICIES. FURTHERMORE, JUVENILES' PRIVACY COMMITTEES SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED WITH THE POWER TO SCRUTINIZE INFORMATION POLICIES AND PRACTICES. PRIVACY INTEREST OF CHILDREN WILL BE MOST EFFECTIVELY SERVED IF AGENCIES ARE REQUIRED TO SCRUTINIZE AND JUSTIFY THEIR COLLECTION OF INFORMATION BEFORE THEY BEGIN TO ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS CONCERNING HOW TO PROTECT THE INFORMATION AFTER IT IS RETAINED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)