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Records Management

 

The Department of Justice believes in public trust through records integrity, and has taken steps to adequately and properly document the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures and essential transactions of the agency.

What is a Record?

The National Archives and Records Administration define “records” as: all books, papers, maps, photographs, machine readable materials, or other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by an agency of the United States Government under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the Government or because of the informational value of data in them.

The Justice Department follows all legal requirements for the management of federal records.  Department of Justice and its bureaus have implemented guidance provided by the National Archives and Records Administration that provides a starting point for self-assessment.  For example, both Department of Justice and its bureaus have designated records officers; have established networks of designated records management liaisons; have issued records management directives; and have disseminated policies and procedures to ensure records are protected appropriately.

In July 2006, the Department of Justice’s Office of Records Management Policy completed a needs assessment that has served as a baseline for planning and implementation of new program approaches.  In 2010 the Office will begin an evaluation and review program with a self-evaluation while continuing its move to a new and more sophisticated Records and Information Management Program.

The Office of Records Management Policy and the records officers in the Department of Justice bureaus provide regular training to agency personnel on their records management responsibilities, as well as briefings for senior officials and political appointees on the importance of appropriately managing records under their immediate control.

Department of Justice Records Officers

Updated November 6, 2020