There is not enough data collected on the criminal justice system, and when data is collected, it is often not readily available. This is according to the report Turning Local Data into Meaningful Reforms from the Institute for State and Local Governance. Criminal justice data is key to government accountability, community safety, and to efforts that make the justice system more effective and fair. With lessons from the Safety and Justice Challenge data-informed reform efforts, the report recommends data standards and ways to address the gaps, aiming to make data collection more consistent and transparent at every level.
