Welcome to the data corner. At Measures for Justice, we're committed to helping prosecutors use high-quality data to help make your work more efficient and effective. Whether it's speeding up case processing, saving money, understanding what's happening in your office, or simply being able to share with your community an accurate picture of your work, high-quality data is at the heart of it all. 

Every month we'll share a data problem we routinely see in prosecutor offices, our solution, and why any of this matters. We'll tell you about other prosecutors and the work they're doing to improve their data and the good results they're seeing. We'll also answer questions if you have them.

This month's problem: No Data Protocols. Everyone enters data differently, uses different words for the same thing, and isn't bound by the same set of rules. The result is a lot of inconsistency, fields that are empty or populated with entries that make no sense, and, in the end, data that can't be used. The solution is clear: a set of standards—a data dictionary—that mandates the what and how of data entry for the entire office. Why bother? Because poor data can utterly mispresent the work you're doing for your communities. For instance:

Say your office publishes a report showing that 30% of domestic violence cases are dismissed before trial, which prompts community advocates to suggest your office is not taking domestic violence cases seriously.

The problem is that this "30%" derives from data that is inaccurate. Because your office lacks a data dictionary, staff enter case outcomes differently, with some recording cases as "dismissed" when, in fact, a victim declines to prosecute. Other staff mark cases as "closed" or "nolle prosequi" for the same situation. As a result, the data shows an inflated dismissal rate. At minimum, the data does not tell the whole story, which leaves you without a means to share with your constituents the truth of your efforts.

A data dictionary is a mighty tool and often the first place we start when working with a new office because it prevents exactly this kind of distortion. When everyone records information using the same standards, the data tells a fuller, more accurate story of the work prosecutors are doing every day, and ensures that story reflects reality rather than inconsistency.

Tune in next month for our next topic: Incorrect Case Status Updates! Want to learn more in the meantime? Reach out to Khyrunnessa Rabbani at Measures for Justice.