Houston Public Media: Advocates urge Harris County DA’s office to address ‘potentially misleading’ crime data dashboard

Advocates are calling on the Harris County District Attorney’s Office to implement changes to a new public dashboard, citing concerns about potentially misleading crime data and its impact on public perception and policy.

The dashboard was unveiled in October in an effort to enhance transparency in the justice system, according to District Attorney Kim Ogg. Data points included in the dashboard focus on pending cases, dismissed cases and cases that’ve been thrown out due to lack of probable cause.

Advocates with Texas Jail Project, The Bail Project and the ACLU of Texas say the data lacks date ranges or clear definitions of terms like “violent crime.” This lack of clarity, they argue, could lead to misguided policy decisions and “real life consequences for community members,” according to Krish Gundu, the executive director of Texas Jail Project.

The recommendations received a warm reception from Sean Teare, who will take office as Harris County’s next district attorney in less than a month. Teare once served as a prosecutor under Ogg before beating her in the March primary and then winning November’s general election against Dan Simons.

Teare, who campaigned on promises of reform and transparency, called the suggestions “very reasonable” and added that he believed they could be “implemented in short order.”

See the letter from TJP, The Bail Project, and ACLU of Texas below.