CJ Griffin Quoted in Article Discussing State's Release of Coronavirus Data by Zip Code Following Appeal by Griffin on Behalf of The Record and the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey
CJ Griffin, Director of the Justice Gary S. Stein Public Interest Center at Pashman Stein Walder Hayden, was quoted in an article in northjersey.com, “NJ coronavirus data by zip code now public after The Record appeals public records denial.”
The Record and the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey submitted a records request with the New Jersey Department of Health Division of Epidemiology seeking data on coronavirus cases and deaths by zip code, as opposed to the county-level data that New Jersey had posted. After the request was denied, Griffin submitted an appeal on behalf of the Network. Ten days after Griffin submitted the appeal, the State published information about zip codes with 20,000 residents or more.
I am pleased that the state listened to our objections and agreed to make the zip code data public," said attorney C.J. Griffin, who filed an appeal on behalf of the Network. "This way, reporters will be able to keep the public informed about infection and death trends or patterns that are occurring throughout the state and members of the public will be able to easily see what is happening in their towns. The more transparency, the better — especially during a pandemic.”
Please click here for an online version of the article.