In handling arrestee information, which statement best explains the difference between privacy and need-to-know?

• A. Privacy protects sensitive information; need-to-know allows sharing only with staff directly involved in care or custody.
• B. Privacy and need-to-know mean the same thing.
• C. Privacy means you can share with anyone; need-to-know restricts sharing.
• D. Need-to-know is a privacy policy that requires consent.

Answer: (D)

In handling arrestee information, privacy is about protecting sensitive data from broad access, while need-to-know is the rule that restricts who can access or share that information to those with a legitimate role. The statement that best fits this distinction says that need-to-know is a privacy policy that requires consent. This means sharing isn’t open to anyone; it’s limited to people who must know to do their job, and any sharing beyond those directly involved typically needs consent or explicit authorization. In practice, you’d share with staff directly involved in care or custody, and you’d obtain consent or rely on authorization for other disclosures. This framing clarifies that privacy sets the protection, and need-to-know (with consent) governs when and with whom information can be shared.