MD DPSCS Data Dictionaries

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Maryland Public Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

1) All data dictionaries and schemas used for or associated with databases (or other data repositories) used by the DPSCS Division of Correction's offender management system.

2) Any documents sufficient to explain, detail, or describe the contents of tables and fields in any database (including which are considered exempt from disclosure or otherwise restricted, if applicable) used by the DPSCS Division of Correction's offender management system.

“Data dictionary” refers to any set of information describing the contents of a database, including details about tables, columns, data types, and relationships among tables.

"Schema" refers to any set of information describing a database's overall structure and organization.

"Offender management system" refers to the database or software system that DPSCS uses to manage information on all aspects of an offender’s incarcerations from intake to release.

The requested documents will be used for academic research. This request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 calendar days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Robert Stewart, Ph.D.

Hello,

Thank you for your response letter dated March 7, 2024. To confirm, you are saying database table names, field names (e.g., the column names or headers), and descriptions of what those fields contain are confidential or otherwise non-disclosable? To be clear, I am not requesting any data contained within those fields (that is, data on actual people in custody, etc.).

The purpose of this request is to identify relevant tables/fields (which would be disclosable) for a forthcoming data request in an effort to minimize the burden on your department by ensuring my future request is as precise and streamlined as possible.

Best,
Robert Stewart, Ph.D.