External Data Requests

Purpose: This policy outlines the procedure for handling external data requests to the Council of Accountability Court Judges (CACJ). The goal is to ensure that all data requests align with CACJ’s mission and values, protect the privacy rights of accountability court participants, and optimize the allocation of staff time and resources.

Scope: This policy applies to all external entities, including research institutions, seeking access to data held by CACJ for academic or research purposes.

Requirements for Academic Requests

  1. Faculty Support: Academic requests must be supported by a faculty member affiliated with a recognized institution.
  2. IRB Approval: Approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) is required for all academic requests involving research on accountability courts, unless written approval by the CACJ Data and Research Committee (DC), and IRB is waived or otherwise not required.
  3. Intended Academic Use and Publication: Applicants must provide a detailed statement outlining the intended academic use of the data and plans for publication, if any.  If published, the applicant must submit a copy of the published article/report.

Procedure for Handling Data Requests

  1. Submission: All external data requests must be submitted to CACJ through its Research Request Form.
  2. Review Process: The DC will review each request to assess its alignment with CACJ’s mission and privacy considerations.
  3. Approval or Denial: The DC will provide either written approval or denial of the data request based on its merits and potential impact on CACJ’s mission.
  4. Factors for Consideration: The DC will consider factors such as the purpose of the request, applicant’s experience with accountability courts, and potential benefits to CACJ’s mission.
  5. Executive Approval: For requests involving certain participant data, approval by the CACJ Executive Committee may be required, including but not limited to aggregate data sharing; Such approval process may take additional time.
  6. Data Sharing Agreement: At the discretion of the DC, a formal data sharing agreement may be required for approved external data requests.
  7. Purpose and Use Explanation: Research requests must provide a detailed explanation of the purpose, methodology, and intended use of the requested data.

General Considerations

  1. Mission Alignment: Requests with a clear demonstration of how they further CACJ’s mission and benefit accountability courts are more likely to be approved.
  2. Privacy Protection: CACJ is committed to protecting the privacy rights of accountability court participants, and requests must comply with privacy regulations.
  3. Resource Allocation: Given the potential impact on staff time and resources, requests should be concise and focused on achieving meaningful outcomes.

Compliance and Enforcement: Non-compliance with this policy may result in denial of the data request or other appropriate actions as determined by CACJ’s leadership.

Conclusion: This policy aims to facilitate responsible and impactful research partnerships while safeguarding the interests of accountability court participants and optimizing resource utilization at CACJ.

 

Download this pdf file. Click here for a printable copy of the external data request policy.