Source Identification
Records are identified by their issuing agency, official source, or documented method of acquisition whenever that information is available.
Public Records Repository
The documents behind the reporting.
Ocean State Chronicle publishes selected public records and source documents when they help Rhode Islanders understand how government decisions were made, how public business was conducted, and what the documented record actually shows.
Repository Access
Published records are maintained in a dedicated public-access repository separate from private newsroom and investigative files.
Public Document Collection
Browse the public records repository.
Open the Ocean State Chronicle public repository to view records that have been selected and prepared for public access. The repository opens in a separate browser tab.
Open Public Records RepositoryA document’s inclusion in this repository does not independently prove every claim contained within it. Records should be read together with their source, date, context, and any related reporting.
Repository Standards
Public access matters, but so do accuracy, context, and responsible handling. These standards guide what is placed in the repository.
Context and Attribution
Documents are presented with enough information to distinguish the official record from reporting, source statements, allegations, and editorial analysis.
Privacy Restraint
Sensitive personal information may be withheld or redacted when its publication would cause unnecessary harm without serving a clear public-interest purpose.
How Records Are Handled
Documents move through a basic review process before they are added to the public repository.
Obtain
Collect the record through a public agency, official publication, records request, or another documented source.
Verify
Confirm the document’s source, relevant date, completeness, and relationship to the matter being reported.
Review
Check for private information, sensitive material, legal concerns, and context readers may need.
Publish
Add the record with a clear title, source description, date, file type, and related reporting when available.
Have a public record we should review?
Tell the newsroom what the document is, where it came from, and why it may matter to the public. Submission does not guarantee publication or establish the document as authentic.