OpenDOJ Search Ideas

Given past problems with millions of White House emails going missing, to comply with the law, the administration of the White House's email servers should be moved to an Information Technology department that does regular backups.

There are data center backup and replication products that allow data to be recovered quickly and replicated to a second data center in the event of a failure in the primary data center.... more »

The GOP has a database of earmarks.

The collected data for earmarks should also be made available for download.

This will allow the data to be analyzed.

For example, an earmark may be important at a local level but at a national level a project that generates revenue, reduces energy usage, increases domestic power generation, etc. is more important.

Investing in projects that generate revenue for the government means... more »

Given the fundamental contribution that the FOIA makes to transparent government, the ready access to concrete data about agency FOIA performance, and the opportunity to improve FOIA administration, FOIA should be a significant part of any federal open government dashboard.
As we are sure you appreciate, the FOIA is at the core of the public’s right to know what the government is doing. The FOIA cannot be dismantled... more »

At a minimum, I would like to see current and upcoming projects summary with high level budget information so we know where the most money is being spent, including money spent on operations.

I am a contracting employee stationed at DOJ. Both my employer and DOJ contracting personnel have refused to allow me to see the contract I work under. If contracting emplyees could see their applicable contracts, they could advise DOJ as to whether it was being adhered to and what learn what their rights and obligations are under that contract.

I am starting this new openness idea because another thread here has a confusing title. The other thread is titled "Enforce Existing Laws."

Organized stalking (OS) is the commission of acts similar to single stalker stalking, but by groups organized to carry out such acts. Organized stalking can include some through wall electronic harassment and surveillance using ordinary, not classified technologies which are available... more »

The guidelines used to make suitability/security decisions about prospective employees should be made public. This information should be made available so people are not unnecessarily deterred from applying for DOJ jobs.

The Department of Justice should look at best practices for reporting performance information currently in use by state governments. Due to the more restrictive budget climates faced by state governments, they are much further along in effectively collecting and reporting useful performance information to the public. The Government Accounting and Standards Board (GASB) has developed Service Efforts and Accomplishments... more »

In my opinion, one of the biggest issues facing the DOJ is the disproportionate percentage of racial minorities who are convicted of committing crimes, in relation to the percentage of minorities who are charged with committing crimes. After someone is arrested, minorities are far more likely to be charged with a crime; after being charged with a crime, minorities are far more likely to be convicted; after being... more »

A recent note in the Yale Law Journal estimates judicial bribes at 1,000,000 per year in civil and traffic courts. The following comments are reported in detail on my website, www.bobpalmerphd.com.
Bribery is endemic to our courts, because those persons vested with authority to prosecute judicial bribery are indifferent. They fail to do their job.
In 2003 I complained to the L.A.D.A. that my former stockbroker... more »

Sponsor an annual conference for research staff from various DOJ agencies/ Bureaus. This conference should allow DOJ-scholars to present their DOJ-research -- similar to a typical academic conference. This would allow DOJ presenters and DOJ audience members to exchange knowledge in a dynamic way with respect to what data may be available to complement a given project, or identify new questions or collaborative partners... more »

Create a listing of all “research” data sets held by the various Bureaus and agencies within DOJ at a single location with basic information about that data. Data, itself, does not need to be housed there – just a list of data sets and elements along with descriptive information so that staff know what exists when planning research. (By research data set, I am referring to data repositories reflecting operational or other... more »

I think that the DOJ should create a public complaint website (refer to www.ripoff.com as an example), for all types of public complaints. Then, actually have the government agencies follow-through with investigation of valid complaints. I have filed complaints with the Comptroller of the Currency, State Attorney General's Office, EEOC, FCC and various other federal agency websites. Other than the Michigan Attorney... more »

http://www.opendoj.ideascale.com/a/dtd/28595-7036

I just saw a post asking you to be more open with stalking laws. But I would like to see Statistics on the use of the Violent Persons Registry. Not sure if that falls under your jurisdiction.

In the U.K. it's a list that people can be added to, listing them as violent or potentially violent without their knowledge.

Under the American Community Health and Safety programs,... more »