Annual Update to Strategic Information Resources Management Plan

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of the Chief Information Officer Washington, DC 20530

Annual Update to the Strategic Information Resources Management Plan

December 20, 2021

Pursuant to Title II of the Foundations for Evidence-based Policymaking Act – the Open, Public,

Electronic, and Necessary (OPEN) Government Data Act, enclosed is the 2021 annual update to

the U.S. Department of Justice Strategic Information Resources Management Plan.

Digitally signed by

MELINDA

MELINDA ROGERS

Date: 2021.12.20

ROGERS

17:27:20 -05'00'

Melinda Rogers

Deputy Assistant Attorney General

Chief Information Officer

Chief Data Officer

U.S. Department of Justice

Enclosure

United States Department of Justice

Chief Data Officer Annual Report

July 2021

U.S. Department of Justice, Chief Data Officer Annual Report

Statutory Authority

This annual report of the Department of Justice (Department or DOJ) Chief Data Officer (CDO)

to Congress is prepared pursuant to 44 U.S.C. § 3520(e). It details agency compliance with the

requirements of Title II of the Foundations for Evidence-based Policymaking Act (Evidence Act)

– the Open, Public, Electronic, and Necessary (OPEN) Government Data Act, Pub. L. No. 115–

435. In addition, this report also serves as the annual update to the agency’s strategic information

resources management plan pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3506(b)(2).

Government-wide Requirements

The OPEN Government Data Act created the CDO position at federal agencies with

responsibilities including:

x Overall responsibility for lifecycle data management

x Coordinate with agency officials for using, protecting, disseminating, and generating data

to ensure the agency’s data needs are met

x Manage data assets for the agency

x Ensure that, to the extent practicable, agency data conforms with data management best

practices

x Support the work and data needs of the agency’s Statistical Official, Performance

Improvement Officer, and Evaluation Officer

x Engage with agency employees, the public, and contractors in using public data assets

and encouraging collaborative approaches on improving data use

The statute also directs agencies to take steps to maintain a comprehensive data inventory and

make data assets open by default, in accordance with published government-wide guidance.

Given the responsibility of the CDO for lifecycle data management regardless of data type or

mission, it is important to reference additional statutes and authorities when reporting on the

Department’s CDO efforts under the Evidence Act. The Geospatial Data Act (GDA) designates

DOJ as a covered agency, with additional requirements related to the management of geospatial

data. Closely related to the Evidence Act is the Federal Data Strategy – Office and Management

and Budget (OMB) memorandum M-19-18 – and accompanying action plans. Finally, Executive

Orders 13859 and 13960 include actions for agencies to undertake related to artificial

intelligence (AI), which align with data responsibilities.

Though not an exhaustive list, when taken together these authorities emphasize the critical nature

of government data and the steps for agencies to take to maximize the utility of this resource for

agency operations and the public at large.

Department of Justice Approach

Building on the efforts of individual DOJ Components, as well as agency-wide initiatives, the

Department continues to take a holistic and collaborative approach to implementing the

U.S. Department of Justice, Chief Data Officer Annual Report

responsibilities of the CDO and the requirements of the Evidence Act and additional authorities

listed above.

At DOJ, the decision was made for the same individual to serve as both the Department’s Chief

Information Officer (CIO) and CDO. This allows the Department to draw upon the resources and

institutional knowledge of the CIO’s office to enact CDO responsibilities in a way that combines

both governance and the technologies needed to implement.

Following the passage of the Evidence Act, in February 2019 the Department published the

inaugural DOJ Data Strategy

– a foundational framework designed to build a standardized,

programmatic approach to manage and share data while also advancing the capabilities of DOJ

data communities. The DOJ Data Strategy includes numerous agency-wide and Component-

specific responsibilities designed to develop enterprise approaches across four goals: data

management, information sharing, identity and access management, and workforce.

Oversight of the DOJ Data Strategy rests with the Department’s Data Governance Board

(Board). Chaired by the CDO, the Board includes DOJ’s Evaluation Officer and Statistical

Official, senior Department leaders from operational areas such as information technology,

records, acquisitions, and privacy, as well as officials from DOJ offices representing mission

areas including law enforcement, litigation, and corrections. Three working groups, co-chaired

by Board members and representing the four goals of the DOJ Data Strategy, lead the day-to-day

implementation efforts. In addition to these working groups, the Board chartered two

communities of interest to bring together Department stakeholders on the topics of geospatial

data and AI.

To execute the responsibilities of the DOJ Data Strategy, the Board developed an

implementation plan with discrete deliverables and timelines. The plan also incorporates

requirements from the Evidence Act and related authorities such as the GDA in order to ensure a

comprehensive approach to these requirements. The Board reviews and updates the plan

quarterly which provides an opportunity to adjust timelines, as needed, and incorporate any new

requirements from statutes or guidance. Through the beginning of Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, the

Department completed 33 actions from the plan, and is on track to complete at least another ten

actions by the end of this fiscal year. Highlights of the Board’s accomplishments include:

x Chartered Data Governance Board and reported membership to OMB

x Defined types and scopes of data within the Department

x Conducted the FY 2020 Department-wide data maturity self-assessment

x Instituted a process to maintain a DOJ-wide comprehensive data inventory

x Publishes DOJ data assets to the Federal data catalogue (Data.gov)

Significantly, the Board also approved a process to evaluate and improve the quality of DOJ

open government data assets. This process will ensure that the Department continues publishing

open government data assets into the future.

The DOJ Data Strategy is accessible at https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/1135081/download.

U.S. Department of Justice, Chief Data Officer Annual Report

The Department is also taking steps to leverage the expertise and knowledge of the larger

government community. The CDO is a member of the Federal CDO Council and ensures the

Department’s views are represented in working groups of the Council, specifically the Large

Agency Committee comprised of Chief Financial Officers Act agencies. Similarly, as a covered

agency under the GDA, the Department participates in the Federal Geographic Data Committee

and its Steering Committee. Participation in these meetings allows DOJ’s interests to be

articulated in the standards and guidance being developed. Through this collaboration, the

Department gathers best practices for implementation of statutory and policy requirements.

Looking Ahead

The Department awaits further government-wide guidance in order to fulfill its responsibilities

under the Evidence Act, specifically Title II. Subsequently, the Data Governance Board will

determine the resources and best approach to carry out new requirements. The structure

established by the Board to implement the DOJ Data Strategy ensures the Department has the

mechanisms in place to be responsive to new guidance or requirements as they become available.