Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and OpenTheGovernment.org have released a collaborative report suggesting that efficient Freedom of Information Act request processing is on the rise.
Report authors were buoyed by the fact that FOIA response times declined on average, suggesting the possibility for an increase in the quantity of releases in future years. However, a closer examination of the numbers revealed that efficiency and government transparency were not always correlated.
"The results paint a very mixed picture on the FOIA front, with agencies generally processing more requests more quickly, but also increasing their reliance on the FOIA's nine exemptions to withhold more information from the public," the report stated. "Our analysis revealed an even more alarming truth: the government's FOIA data is flawed, making it impossible to assess key areas of progress and casting doubt on its overall reliability."
To ensure data validity moving forward, research coordinators emphasized the need for greater standardization of request processing and reporting. Agreeing on the most secure and cost-effective technology is only a start however, as additional employee training modules and more diligent enforcement of protocol are likely also required.
