Washtenaw County Prosecutor Transparency Project
Summary
Poverty Solutions is partnering with the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office on a data-driven project focused on uncovering potential racial disparities within the prosecutorial system and increasing the transparency and accountability of the system generally.
The project: Poverty Solutions is partnering with the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office and others on a data-driven project focused on uncovering potential racial disparities in outcomes within the prosecutorial system and increasing the transparency and accountability of the system generally. The “Prosecutor Transparency Project” in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan and the University of Michigan Law School has two components: a racial equity study and a criminal justice dashboard.
The process: The study aims to uncover potential racial inequities through the collection and analysis of data regarding decisions made by the prosecutor’s office, including who is charged with a crime, the nature of the charge, the race of the individual charged, and other crucial information.
The criminal justice dashboard will display key Prosecutorial Performance Indicators for the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office.
Results: See an abridged report on the study: Uncovering Racial Disparities in Washtenaw's Legal System
JJ Prescott, University of Michigan Law School
Trevor Bechtel, formerly Poverty Solutions staff
Amanda Nothaft, Poverty Solutions staff
Grady Bridges, University of Michigan Law School
Eli Savit, Washtenaw County Prosecutor