In our first blog in this series, we introduced the concept of FOIA software and its vital role in accelerating transparency and reducing agency backlog. Now, let’s explore how FOIA management software, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), is transforming the way government agencies handle Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests from intake to fulfillment.
The problem with manual FOIA workflows
Managing FOIA requests manually can be time-consuming, labor-intensive, and prone to error. As public demand for transparency grows, agencies face increasing pressure to respond quickly, accurately, and in compliance with regulations. But traditional methods struggle to scale. But why does that matter?
In today’s environment, law enforcement agencies are struggling to keep pace with the volume of requests they receive. On the one hand, they are operating with 10% or less staff. At the same time, they are facing a tidal wave of FOIA requests. Between 2016 and 2022, the average FOIA requests amounted to 826,847. In 2023, that drastically increased to 1.2 million, a 43% increase. They are expected to process these requests despite an 11% cut in FOIA staff.
FOIA management software can help alleviate the management of these requests. But we’ll also see how AI can help go beyond just management and scale.
What is FOIA management software?
FOIA management software is a purpose-built solution designed to handle the entire FOIA request lifecycle—from submission and tracking to review and delivery. By centralizing workflows, these systems help agencies improve compliance, speed, and transparency. But today’s agencies need more than just streamlined management. They need a way to process more FOIA requests with the staff they currently have available. That’s achieved by adding AI to their FOIA workflow.
Automating the FOIA Lifecycle with AI
The typical FOIA request lifecycle involves multiple steps: intake, classification, search, review, redaction, approval, and fulfillment. Each stage traditionally requires significant human input. But AI is changing that.
Here’s how FOIA tracking software enhanced with AI is streamlining each phase:
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Evidence centralization
Rather than manually combing through disparate data sources, AI-powered digital evidence management software centralizes this information into a single location.
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Intelligent search and retrieval
AI can help staff surface only the most relevant files for a request, utilizing transcription and translation, natural language processing, and other AI capabilities to identify the most relevant files, saving staff time spent on triage and reducing misrouting.
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Automated Redaction
Machine learning models help staff automate the process of redacting personal identifiable information (PII) and other sensitive data from files, eliminating bottlenecks in manual redaction while ensuring compliance.
Benefits of AI-driven FOIA workflow automation
Incorporating AI into your FOIA workflow enables agencies to accomplish more with fewer resources. As they face recruitment shortfalls, they can enhance their current staff’s capabilities to reduce operational costs without sacrificing turnaround times. They can accelerate turnaround times, improving compliance and fostering greater public trust.
To illustrate the time savings, let’s consider a typical video that has 30 frames per second. That means a 30-second clip can contain around 900 frames. As agencies redact for PII, they would have to manually edit each frame individually. That means a 10-minute video would take an experienced technician eight hours or more to complete. With AI, the Oregon Police Department was able to reduce its redaction time by 66%. With the example we provided, that would take the redaction time down from eight hours to less than three.
Choosing the right AI solutions to complement your FOIA Software
When evaluating what technologies you should use to work alongside your FOIA management software, you should take these considerations into account:
- Could your agency benefit from centralizing how you store evidence? If so, you should use a digital evidence management system that AI powers.
- How are you currently redacting video? Are you doing it manually, or do you have some assistance with your current solution? If so, how fast is your team redacting, and could they do it faster with an AI redaction tool?
- Can your teams quickly surface the right files? If not, look for a solution that cna help with eDiscovery.
When considering any solution, ensure it’s CJIS compliant and meets your security needs.
Conclusion
As FOIA volumes increase, automation becomes a necessity, regardless of the agency’s size. The next generation of FOIA management software will be integrated into an agency’s broader FOIA workflow, which will include AI tools. These technologies will help agencies keep up with the deluge of FOIA requests with their current capabilities.
Stay tuned for the next blog in our FOIA series, where we’ll delve deeper into the capabilities you should look for in public records software.
Explore more in the series (coming soon)
- What Capabilities to Look for in Public Records Software
- Records Management Software for Government
- FOIA Redaction Software: Protecting Sensitive Data in Records Requests
Let’s talk!
Ready to improve your FOIA workflows? Schedule a demo with a Veritone expert.
Sources:
https://view.ceros.com/veritone-us/foia-fulfillment-rates/p/1
