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Article: Pricey public records.(UP FRONT: News, Trends & Analysis)(Brief article)
- Article from:
- Information Management Journal
- Article date:
- January 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Association of Records Managers & Administrators (ARMA). This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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A recent report by The Herald-Dispatch revealed that West Virginia local and state law enforcement agencies are charging unusually high fees for access to public records.
Most of the state's 55 sheriff departments and the state police charge $20 each for accident and crime reports, which are usually only four or five pages. Copies cost $25 in a few counties, which exceeds the statutory limit.
The effect, critics say, is that the public is less likely to request public records. While some states specifically determine how much agencies may charge for reproducing public documents (typically 10 to 25 cents per page), others are vague. According to The ...