JIL featured at Middlesex District Attorney's Office Inaugural Data Summit

By Kelli L. Ross

Justice Innovation Lab Executive Director Jared Fishman was a session leader at the Middlesex District Attorney's Office Inaugural Data Summit on June 8–9, 2021. 

The two-day forum brought together thought leaders and experts in data management to explore best practices in collecting, analyzing and sharing data. Presenters included leaders from Vera Institute, Measures for Justice, Tableau Foundation, University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, and Institute on Race and Justice, among others. The 2021 summit examined the use of data in the criminal system to help inform the work of prosecutors’ offices and public safety agencies, increase transparency and achieve better outcomes. 

The session led by Fishman, “Using Data for Better Prosecutorial Decisions,” provided an overview of the work of JIL, the impetus of its founding, and the role of prosecutors in the criminal justice system.

“We’ve now reached a turning point where the anecdotes that we tell whether that be our successful trials or successful wins are no longer sufficient,” Fishman said. “We’ve got to look at our decisions throughout the process to decide whether or not we are being as fair and as equitable as we are setting out to be.”