diff --git a/scraper/raw_inmate_data.py b/scraper/raw_inmate_data.py
index 44fe3a5..66082b7 100644
--- a/scraper/raw_inmate_data.py
+++ b/scraper/raw_inmate_data.py
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 
-import os.path
-import csv
+from os import path
+from pyquery import PyQuery
 from collections import OrderedDict
-import shutil
+from itertools import chain
+import csv, shutil, requests
+
+RAW_INMATE_DATA_RELEASE_URL = 'http://cookcountyjail.recoveredfactory.net/raw_inmate_data/'
+RAW_INMATE_DATA_STARTING_YEAR = '2014'
 
 RAW_INMATE_DATA_BUILD_DIR = 'CCJ_RAW_INMATE_DATA_BUILD_DIR'
 RAW_INMATE_DATA_RELEASE_DIR = 'CCJ_RAW_INMATE_DATA_RELEASE_DIR'
@@ -30,6 +34,7 @@ class RawInmateData:
         ('Court_Location', 'court_house_location')
     ])
 
+
     def __init__(self, snap_shot_date, feature_controls, monitor):
         if feature_controls is None:
             feature_controls = {}
@@ -45,7 +50,45 @@ def __init__(self, snap_shot_date, feature_controls, monitor):
         self.__feature_activated = False
         self.__configure_feature(feature_controls)
 
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def available_dates():
+        """ Return a list of dates for which there is csv data available. 
+            The dates are in text format, as follows: YYYY-MM-DD. """
+        year_to_try = RAW_INMATE_DATA_STARTING_YEAR
+        result = True
+        dates = []
+        while result:
+            result = RawInmateData._available_dates_for_year(year_to_try)
+            year_to_try = str(int(year_to_try) + 1)    
+            if result:
+                dates.extend(result)
+
+        return dates
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _available_dates_for_year(year):
+        """ Given a year, query the raw inmate data API, and return
+            a list of dates for which there is csv data available there. 
+            The dates are in text format, as follows: YYYY-MM-DD. If 
+            there is no data for the year, returns None. """
+        try:
+            result = requests.get(RAW_INMATE_DATA_RELEASE_URL + year)
+        except requests.RequestException:
+            return None
+
+        if result.status_code != requests.codes.ok:
+            return None
+
+        doc = PyQuery(result.content)
+        # get a list of links from the directory page
+        # ignore the first link, which points to the dir above
+        dates = doc('a:not(:first-child)')
+        # drop the '.csv'
+        return [d.text_content()[:-4] for d in dates]
+
     def add(self, inmate_details):
+        """ Add an inmate record to the account of raw csv data. """
         if not self.__feature_activated:
             return
         if self.__build_file_writer is None:
@@ -70,11 +113,11 @@ def __debug(self, msg, debug_level=None):
         self.__monitor.debug('{0}: {1}'.format(self.__klass_name, msg), debug_level)
 
     def __ensure_year_dir(self):
-        year_dir = os.path.join(self.__raw_inmate_dir, self.__snap_shot_date.strftime('%Y'))
+        year_dir = path.join(self.__raw_inmate_dir, self.__snap_shot_date.strftime('%Y'))
         try:
             os.makedirs(year_dir)
         except OSError:
-            if not os.path.isdir(year_dir):
+            if not path.isdir(year_dir):
                 raise
         return year_dir
 
@@ -82,15 +125,36 @@ def __feature_control(self, feature_controls, feature_control):
         okay, dir_name = False, None
         if feature_control in feature_controls:
             dir_name = feature_controls[feature_control]
-            okay = os.path.isdir(dir_name)
+            okay = path.isdir(dir_name)
             if not okay:
                 self.__debug("'%s' does not exist or is not a directory" % dir_name)
         return okay, dir_name
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def fetch_data_for_date(date):
+        """ Return the raw inmate data for the supplied date, in YYYY-MM-DD format. 
+            If the data can't be fetched, for whatever reason, returns None. """
+        if date not in RawInmateData.available_dates():
+            return None
+
+        chosen_year = date[:4]
+        query_url = RAW_INMATE_DATA_RELEASE_URL + chosen_year + '/' + date + '.csv'
+        try:
+            result = requests.get(query_url)
+        except requests.RequestException:
+            return None
+
+        if result.status_code != requests.codes.ok:
+            return None
+
+        return result.content
+
     def __file_name(self):
         return self.__snap_shot_date.strftime('%Y-%m-%d.csv')
 
     def finish(self):
+        """ Method to be called when the build file containing the raw inmate data
+            is completed. Moves that file into the release directory. """
         if not self.__feature_activated:
             return
         self.__build_file.close()
@@ -98,8 +162,12 @@ def finish(self):
         shutil.move(self.__build_file_name, year_dir)
 
     def __open_build_file(self):
-        self.__build_file_name = os.path.join(self.__build_dir, self.__file_name())
+        self.__build_file_name = path.join(self.__build_dir, self.__file_name())
         self.__build_file = open(self.__build_file_name, "w")
         self.__build_file_writer = csv.writer(self.__build_file)
         header_names = [header_name for header_name in RawInmateData.HEADER_METHOD_NAMES.iterkeys()]
         self.__build_file_writer.writerow(header_names)
+
+
+
+