3: Data and Information
Serve as an authoritative national clearinghouse and repository of civil rights data and information Other Information:
The Commission is charged with keeping the President, Congress and the public informed of civil rights issues, including discrimination
or denial of equal protection of the laws because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or in
the administration of justice. As such, the Commission is committed to making information on civil rights enforcement and
civil rights issues available to the broadest range of stakeholders. The Commission maintains a substantial library dedicated
to civil rights materials. Although the library has suffered the effects of reduced resources along with every other unit
within the agency, it continues to work diligently to make Commission reports and other materials available to the public.
In fact, one of the most frequently requested publications is the Commission’s booklet “Getting Uncle Sam to Enforce Your
Civil Rights,” indicating that the public is making use of the Commission’s work. The Commission’s own reports dating back
to its inception are available to researchers, Congressional offices, federal agencies, the general public and other libraries
as a matter of course. The Commission has, to the extent that resources have allowed, utilized its web site to make reports,
transcripts, press releases and official correspondence immediately available to the public. One component of fulfilling the
mission of maintaining the national clearinghouse is to upgrade the Commission’s technology to make more materials available
electronically, as well as to create links to nonproprietary information that might be of interest to individuals interested
in civil rights. One of the Commission’s core responsibilities is its annual federal civil rights enforcement report to the
Congress and the President. The annual report is designed to examine the laws and enforcement activities in one particular
arena of civil rights. For the Commission’s 50th Anniversary it will take up the status of elementary and secondary school
desegregation. To promote the public awareness of civil rights laws, remedies and enforcement agencies, the Commission will
continue to host public briefings on a wide array of topics and perspectives. Within the constraints of current funding levels,
the Commission will continue to issue press releases and post information on the Commission’s web site. As partnerships with
other agencies lead to changes in enforcement or law, the Commission will participate in and initiate press conferences. Provided
resources are available, the Commission will utilize its power to generate and promote public awareness through public service
announcements and will explore other methods of disseminating information through electronic media. A recent example of this
is the establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Maryland’s Thurgood Marshall Library. The
MOU constitutes and outlines an agreement between the United States Government Printing Office (GPO), the University of Maryland
School of Law, Thurgood Marshall Law Library (TMLL), and the United States Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) for permanent
public access to content in the electronic collection of Historical Publications of the United States Commission on Civil
Rights of the TMLL. By giving the Thurgood Marshall Law library permission to store electronically and make available via
the internet access to our Reports and other publications, the Commission is adapting to the effects of reduced funding on
internal capacity while creatively using technology to promote public awareness of civil rights laws, remedies, and enforcement.
1. How the Goal Will Be Achieved The Commission will accomplish this goal by: • Strengthening the quality and objectivity
of the Commission’s reporting. • Collecting and analyzing existing data on disparities among racial and ethnic groups, between
the sexes, between the disabled and those who are not disabled, and among other protected classes. • Issuing reports that
assess the credibility of claims of systemic or pervasive discrimination and, where discrimination is found to be present,
illuminate the causes of such discrimination and make recommendations for policy changes to address the problem. • Conducting
original social scientific research that brings new or unique information to the civil rights policy debate. 2. How Results
Will Be Measured The Commission must reestablish itself as a national authority on basic civil rights data and information
if it hopes to make tangible contributions to the nation’s civil rights debate in Congress and throughout the Federal government;
at the state and local levels; in academia and the world of ideas; and in public discourse. Successful implementation of theses
strategies will be evidenced by a broader dissemination of and increased citation to Commission research by diverse interests
in the nation’s civil rights debate. Indicators of success will include: • Written work products issued by the Commission
meet rigorous standards for accuracy, objectivity, transparency, and accountability. • GAO recommendations are implemented
as adopted by the Commissioners and consistent with any Commissioner-approved timeline. • Reports are issued assessing the
credibility of discrimination allegations and, where discrimination is found to be present, illuminate the causes of such
discrimination, and make recommendations for policy changes that will address the problem. • Reports are issued that include
original social scientific research that adds new or unique information to the civil rights policy discussion.
Objective(s):
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