Pennsylvania has recently expanded its Right-to-Know Law. The legislature intended that the new version of the 1957 law would open up a lot more public records to you and me. Regrettably, the corrupt Republican administration castrated the scope of the law and made it much less useful than it might otherwise have been. (See Management Directive 205.36 and/or DC-ADM 003-01.) Leave it to the Republicans to screw the people if they get the chance! For all its shortcomings, starting on 26 December 2002, the Right-To-Know Law invests each citizen with the right to obtain access to and/or copies of many public records. If you want to see some public record or piece of information of the Department of Corrections ("DOC") or of any individual prison (like say, purchasing records of who's getting the kickbacks) you must make a written request for the information. It's pretty easy. For prison information, write a letter to the Secretary of Corrections or to: Vicki Flohr Department of Corrections Right-to-Know Office Box 598 Camp Hill, PA 17001-0589 In the letter say that pursuant to 65 PS 66.1 et seq. (that's the citation of the law), the Right-to-Know Law, you want certain information. Tell them if you want copies or if you just want to inspect the records. If you want copies they'll cost you 15 cents per photocopied page. If you want to inspect the records, you have to go to the office where the records are, or send somebody there on your behalf. The records are supposed to be given to you in the form in which they are regularly kept or in printouts. The DOC is required to post a schedule of fees if they intend to charge you for finding any records. You must describe the information that you want. Give DOC as complete and detailed a description as possible. Remember, they don't want to help you, they don't want to be open. They want to obstruct and to keep their dirty secrets hidden. Give them a full description so that it's harder for them to pretend that they don't know what you're talking about. Within 10 business days, the DOC has to answer your request and give you what you want. If they don't give you the records or if the fail to answer, you can appeal the refusal. Just write a note explaining why you are entitled to the information (you never have to explain why you want it) to: John Shaffer, PhD Right-To-Know Exceptions Department of Corrections Box 598 Camp Hill, PA 17001-0598 If you get anything juicy or interesting, share it with us and with others.