Department of Corrections Online Privacy Notice

Link to Governor's Executive Order 00-03 - Public Records Privacy Protections (www.governor.wa.gov)

Section A.  Introduction

Thank you for visiting the Department of Corrections (DOC) web site and reviewing our Privacy Notice.  This statement addresses collection, use and security of, and access to information that may be obtained through use of http://www.doc.wa.gov

Section B. Information Collected and How it is Used

What information we collect if you only browse this site

If you do nothing during your visit to our web site but browse, read pages, or download information, we will gather and store certain information about your visit.  This information does not identify you personally. We automatically collect and store the following information about your visit:

  1. The Internet Protocol Address and domain name used.  The Internet Protocol address is a numerical identifier assigned either to your Internet service provider or directly to your computer.  We use the Internet Protocol Address to direct Internet traffic to you. This address can be translated to determine the domain name of your service provider (e.g. xcompany.com or yourschool.edu);
  2. The type of browser and operating system you used;
  3. The date and time you visited this site;
  4. The web pages or services you accessed at this site; and
  5. The web site you visited prior to coming to this web site.

The information we automatically collect and log is used by DOC only to improve the content of our web services and to help us understand how people are using our services.  We analyze the web site logs to determine how our web site is being used, so that we may continually improve the site's usefulness to the public.  Information is not sold.

What information we collect if you volunteer it

If, during your visit to our web site, you participate in a survey, send an email, or perform some other transaction on-line, the following additional information will be collected:

  1. The email address, and contents of email, for those who communicate with us via email.
  2. Information volunteered in response to a survey; and
  3. Information provided on any on-line form used to engage with services Department of Corrections provides.

The information collected is not limited to text characters and may include audio, video, and graphic information formats you send us.

We use your email to respond directly to you, to address issues you identify in your email, to further improve our web site, or to forward to another agency for appropriate action.  Survey information is used to determine how our web site is being used, so that we may continually improve the site's usefulness to the public.

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Section C. Personal Information and Choice

You may choose whether to provide personal information on-line.

"Personal information" is information about a natural person that is readily identifiable to that specific individual.  Personal information includes such things as an individual's name, address, e-mail address and phone number.  A domain name or Internet Protocol address is not considered personal information.

We do not collect personal information about you unless you voluntarily provide it to us by sending us email or participating in a survey. Your choice to not participate in these activities will not impair your ability to browse http://www.doc.wa.gov and read or download any information provided on the site.

If personal information is requested on the web site or volunteered by the user, state and federal law may protect it from public inspection and copying.  However, this information is a public record once you provide it, and may be subject to public inspection and copying if not protected by state or federal law.

If you believe that your e-mail address is being used for a purpose other than what was intended when submitted, you may contact the agency contact person shown in the Contact Information Section of this statement.

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) governs information gathering from or about children under the age of 13.  Department of Corrections is concerned with protecting children's privacy.

Department of Corrections does not require children to reveal any information that could be used to identify them.  If a child chooses to provide personally identifying information to us, the child must get his/her parents' permission before provide any information on-line.

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Section D. Public Access to Information

In Washington, laws exist to ensure that state government is open and that the public has a right to access appropriate records and information possessed by state government.  At the same time, there are exceptions to the public's right to access public records that serve various needs, including the privacy of individuals.  Exceptions are provided by both state and federal laws.

All of the information collected at this site becomes public records that may be subject to inspection and copying by members of the public, unless an exemption in law exists.  The provisions of RCW 42.56 (www.leg.wa.gov) state that:

Each agency, in accordance with published rules, shall make available for public inspection and copying all public records, unless the record falls within the specific exemptions of the Public Records Act or other statue which exempts or prohibits disclosure of specific information or records.

In the event of a conflict between this Privacy Notice and the Public Records Act or other law governing the agency's disclosure of records, the Public Records Act or other applicable law will control.

To the extent required to prevent an unreasonable invasion of personal privacy protected by by Chapter 42.56 RCW the Department of Corrections shall delete identifying details in a manner consistent with the Public Records Act (www.leg.wa.gov) when it makes available or publishes any public record; however, in each case, the justification for the deletion shall be explained fully in writing.

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Section E. Review and Correction of Personally Identifiable Information

You can review any personally identifiable information we collect about you by using the information in the Contact Information section at the end of this Notice.  You may recommend changes to your personally identifiable information you believe to be inaccurate by submitting a request that credibly shows the inaccuracy.  We will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting access or making corrections.  RCW 43.105.310 (www.leg.wa.gov)

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Section F.  Cookies and Applets

To better serve our users we use "cookie" to customize your browsing experience. Any web page or application at this site that uses cookies will identify itself as such. Cookies are short and simple text files that are stored on a user's computer hard drive by web sites. They are used to keep track of and store information so the user does not have to supply the information multiple times. The information that is collected through cookies at this site is handled in the same manner as other information collected here. You can configure your web browser to refuse cookies or to notify you when a web site attempts to send you a cookie. You can also check your hard drive for cookie files and delete them from your computer.

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Section G.  Security

The Department of Information Services, as manager of the physical server site http://www.doc.wa.gov, has taken several steps to safeguard the integrity of its data and prevent unauthorized access to information maintained by DIS.  For site security purpose and to ensure that this Web site remains available to all users, DIS employs software to monitor traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information or otherwise damage this website.  These measures are designed and intended to prevent corruption of data, block unknown or unauthorized access to our systems and information, and to provide reasonable protection of private information in our possession.

This information should not be construed in any way as giving business, legal, or other advice, or warranting as fail proof, the security of information provided via DIS supported Web sites.

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Section H.  Disclaimer

The DOC web site has many links to other web sites.  These include links to web sites operated by other government agencies, nonprofit organizations and private businesses.  When you link to another site, you are no longer on the http://www.doc.wa.gov web site and this Privacy Notice will not apply.  When you link to another web site, you are subject to the privacy policy of that new site.

Neither the State of Washington, nor any agency, officer, or employee of the State of Washington warrants the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of any information published by this system, nor endorses any content, viewpoints, products, or services linked from this system, and shall not be held liable for any losses caused by reliance on the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of such information. Portions of such information may be incorrect or not current. Any person or entity that relies on any information obtained from this system does so at his/her own risk.

The Department of Corrections reserves the right to revise and update this Privacy Notice at any time by posting such a revised Privacy Notice to the DOC home page.

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Section I.  DOC Contact Information

To review your personal information,  or request correction of your personal information, fill out a Request for Disclosure of Records

To offer comments about our http://www.doc.wa.gov web site or about the information presented in this Privacy Notice:

Gary Banning, Privacy Officer (glbanning@DOC1.wa.gov)
Department of Corrections
PO Box 41114
Olympia WA  98504-1114

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