What should be done to protect confidentiality when a report is filed by a third party or anonymously?

• A. Protect the reporter’s confidentiality to the extent possible.
• B. Publicly reveal the reporter's identity to facilitate investigation.
• C. Delay reporting to obtain more info.
• D. Disclose the reporter's name to other inmates.

Answer: (A)

Safeguarding the reporter’s confidentiality is essential when a report comes from a third party or is anonymous. Keeping the identity protected helps prevent retaliation and encourages people to come forward, which is crucial for a real and effective investigation. In practice, share identifying information only with staff who need to know to investigate and ensure it isn’t exposed to others, especially not to other inmates or the public. If possible, redact details and limit disclosures to those with a legitimate need to know, while still allowing the investigation to proceed. For anonymous reports, take the information seriously, document it, and pursue the investigation with the available facts, preserving anonymity as much as possible and seeking corroborating details without exposing the reporter.

Publicly revealing the reporter’s identity would create a real risk of retaliation and discourage future reporting. Delaying reporting to gather more information does not address the need to protect confidentiality, and sharing the reporter’s name with other inmates would jeopardize safety and trust.