Overview
The Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) – Article 6 (Sections 84-90) of the state's Public Officers Law – provides the public right to access records maintained by government agencies with certain exceptions.
Record means any information kept, held, filed, produced or reproduced by, with, or for this agency, in any physical form whatsoever including, but not limited to, reports, statements, regulations, memoranda, opinions, folders, files, books, manuals, pamphlets, forms, papers, designs, drawings, maps, photos, and letters.
Review Available Information
Statistics
Our Data page is the official source of law enforcement statistics from New York State. You'll find data broken down across categories like Reported Index Crime, Youth Crime, Adult Justice System, and Law Enforcement. Data sets are available for download and in some cases live comparison using data dashboards.
In addition, New York State maintains an Open Data Portal, with historical data.
Reports & Publications
Required compliance reports are collected on our Reports & Publications page, and can be either searched or filtered by category.
Review Request Eligibility
Ensure that your request is eligible for the FOIL process.
An individual cannot use the FOIL process to request criminal history records. Criminal history records maintained by the Division of Criminal Justice Services are disclosed only if permitted by law and state regulation. Individuals who wish to obtain their own criminal history should view the DCJS Record Review process and instructions.
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FOIL Subject Matter Listing of Records
Updated March 2026. Describes FOIL-eligible records, pursuant to Public Officers Law Section 87(3)(c).
Download
Make a FOIL Request
FOIL requests for records maintained by the DCJS must be submitted in writing to the agency's Records Access Officer. Please be as specific as possible in describing the records you seek.
Contact Information:
Records Access Officer
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
80 South Swan St., Albany, N.Y. 12210
Availability of Records
Upon appointment, public records maintained by DCJS are available for inspection or copying on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding legal holidays, at the agency's offices located at the Alfred E. Smith State Office Building, 80 South Swan St., Albany, N.Y. 12210.
Right to Appeal
To the extent you believe you have been denied access to a record by DCJS, you have 30 days from the date of the determination to take a written appeal. You may make an appeal by writing:
Colleen Glavin, FOIL Appeals Officer
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
80 South Swan St., Albany, N.Y. 12210
Appeals Email: [email protected]