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CACTUS (CLIENT ACTION, CHARACTERISTICS, TRACKING AND RECORD UPDATING SYSTEM) - SECURITY AND PRIVACY

NCJ Number
45990
Date Published
1975
Length
33 pages
Annotation
PRIVACY AND SECURITY GUIDELINES FOR CLIENT ACTION, CHARACTERISTICS, TRACKING AND RECORD UPDATING SYSTEM (CACTUS), A YOUTH SERVICES INFORMATION SYSTEM, ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE PROPOSED PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES ARE DESIGNED TO ENSURE THE MAXIMUM INTEGRITY OF RECORDED INFORMATION, TO PREVENT MISUSE OF DIVERSION PROJECT RECORDS, AND TO MINIMIZE THE THREATS TO CLIENT PRIVACY WHILE ASSURING MAXIMUM CONFIDENTIALITY OF INDIVIDUALLY IDENTIFIED RECORDED INFORMATION. THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THE PRIVACY AND SECURITY GUIDELINES ARE BASED ARE PRESENTED, TOGETHER WITH SPECIFIC PROCEDURES NECESSARY TO THEIR EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT. THESE ARE: NO INDIVIDUALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION WILL BE RECORDED UNLESS THERE IS A CLEAR REASON FOR ITS USE NOR WILL IT BE COMPUTERIZED WITHOUT AN EXPRESSLY STATED NEED; INDIVIDUAL DATA RECORDED FOR EVALUATION OR RESEARCH WILL NOT BE DISPLAYED WITH IDENTIFIERS OR ACCESSED FROM THE COMPUTER IN A MANNER THAT PERMITS IDENTIFICATION; ONLY DATA EXPRESSLY SERVING CLIENT NEEDS WILL CARRY INDIVIDUAL IDENTIFICATION, AND SUCH INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT TO A MINIMUM; IDENTIFYING DATA WILL BE REMOVED WHEN IT IS NO LONGER ESSENTIAL TO CLIENT NEEDS; THE CLIENT'S RIGHTS TO BE INFORMED OF THE EXISTENCE AND PURPOSE OF IDENTIFIED RECORDS, TO INSPECT HIS OWN RECORDS, AND TO SEEK CORRECTION OR EXPUNGEMENT OF INACCURATE OR DETRIMENTAL INFORMATION SHALL BE PRESERVED; OUTSIDE ACCESS TO RECORDS WILL REQUIRE THE CLIENT'S CONSENT OR THAT OF THE PARENT WHEN THE CLIENT IS UNDER 12 YEARS OLD; AND A MONITORING AUTHORITY REPRESENTATIVE OF CLIENTS SHALL OVERSEE AND SUPERVISE THE IMPLEMENTATIONS OF PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES SET FORTH. SYSTEM SECURITY PROCEDURES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED TO RESTRICT THE USE OF CLIENT INFORMATION TO AUTHORIZED USERS ON A NEED-TO-KNOW BASIS. THESE PROCEDURES WILL INCLUDE SAFEGUARDS FOR AUTHORIZED ACCESS AND ENTRY OF DATA, EXTERNAL SECURITY SAFEGUARDS, AND INTERNAL SECURITY SAFEGUARDS SUCH AS SPECIFIC SOFTWARE/COMPUTER PROGRAM FEATURES.