Although my focus of records management is rooted in health information,
you are justified in your concerns.  The public has an expectation that
entities utilizing personally identifiable information maintain it
within generally acceptable standards of practice.  All records
management guidelines have a "theme" that applies to health records,
government records, as well as corporate records in that the following
should be in place:
Administrative safeguards that address risk analysis, contingency
planning and incident procedures; technical safeguards addressing access
control, audit controls, and authentication; and physical safeguards
regarding device/media controls, facility access controls and work
station use/security.  Somewhere under the auspices of the
administrative safeguards, policies should be in place to address
internal as well as external handling of records throughout the entire
lifecycle of a record (creation to destruction).  

I question whether he is going against a records management/disposition
policy that is already in place, HOWEVER regardless of whether a policy
is in place or not this obviously creates an ethical dilemma.  While it
may be "legal" to handle records disposition as the Sheriff has
announced (however further research would need to be done to determine
this or not), it is certainly not ethical.  

Donna S. Hoover, MBA, RHIA
Records Management Services
Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center
HIPAA Privacy/FOIA Officer
PO BOX 1500, W-484
Fishersville, VA  22939-1500
 
Ph:  540.332.7904       Fx:  540.332.7923




 

-----Original Message-----
From: Virginia Records Officer's Listserv
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Harrington, Richard
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 9:20 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: VA Shredding by inmates???

I've mixed feelings about this type of work.  The State Correction
department had issues with inmates microfilming documents and some of
them involved private information being leaked to the defendant in a
court case. This could happen just as easily with shredding, even if the
inmate is being watched.  In addition, you are then using two persons to
do the job of one even if only one is being paid. I'm also not certain
if using inmates would meet HIPPA or DOD requirements. Fairfax had
employed inmates to do shredding, but I discontinued it because of our
volume.  They could not keep up with the amount of records needing to be
shredded.  We average about 600 to 800 boxes per month. Last year the
County shredded over 180 tons of paper, and the school system had close
to the same amount.  At the moment, we are using a vendor for shredding
which was done through a requisition.  We recently issued an RFP which
should be awarded by the end of this month.  Under the RFP, the vendor
will provide shredding for our records at the records center, but also
provide on-site shredding at the various departments, special shredding
on various days throughout the year that the County provides shredding
services for residents, and special secure pickup containers for
shredding at designated locations.

Richard "Dick" Harrington
County Archivist / Recs. Mgr.
Fairfax County Archives & Records
6800-A Industrial Rd.
Springfield, VA  22151
Tel:  703 658-3776
Fax: 703 642-2832

-----Original Message-----
From: Virginia Records Officer's Listserv
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lois Reeves
Sent: Friday, February 20, 2009 11:55 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: VA Shredding by inmates???

As a Records Manager and VA Beach taxpayer, I am not happy about the
recent revelation that Sheriff Lateigne is planning to use inmates to
shred city documents.  
A.  Those might include my personal documents.
B.  I can think of better uses of taxpayer money during a budget
deficit.
C.  Risk and legality issues come to mind.  

I think it was a very short-sighted and ill-concieved idea.  Sheriff
Lateigne did not contact his own Records Management department for
comment or LVA.  I doubt he's aware of the many laws and regulations
governing our records.

Please read the article and comments at:  
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/02/va-beach-sheriff-plans-use-inmates-shred
-
city-papers

I would like some feedback on this.

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The Premier Rehabilitation Community Serving People With Disabilities.

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