What Kind of Data Drives Us? Unpacking Public Safety Policy’s Favorite Buzzword

Public safety discourse is replete with calls to “follow the data” and “use data-driven solutions.” Comparing data from previous years is central to recent headlines about record crime drops. Recently passed criminal justice and public safety laws include data collection as part of their implementation process. With the growing emphasis on data quality and collection in legislatures and policy conversations across the United States, it's worth examining: what kind of information are we calling for when we ask for accurate, accessible data? 

Data that reveals crime is crucial to preventing it. When law enforcement leaders and policy makers are in the dark about where crime is happening and what kind of crime is happening, they are unable to put a stop to it. Reflecting on the historic violent crime lows in New Orleans, the New Orleans Police Department director of communications told news outlets that “proactive policing” and a targeted approach has been a crucial element of sustaining the momentum generated by recent drops in crime. In the multi-part “What Works in American Policing” series from R Street, Senior Fellow of Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties Jillian Snyder explains that hot spot and precision policing is highly effective. Crime does not spread evenly across cities, and is instead concentrated in certain zones. She concludes, “The challenge is not whether hot spots and precision policing work but whether agencies—particularly the smaller departments that make up the backbone of American policing—have the analytical systems, training infrastructure, constitutional guardrails, and community trust to implement them responsibly.” Strong data allows police departments, large and small, to perform their duties accurately and efficiently by giving them the information they need to direct resources and manpower to where it is most needed. 

Data that reveals disorder can help to correct it. The criminal justice system is vast, encompassing courts, corrections centers, police departments, and other agencies. Too often, inefficient practices or laws lead to disorder. For example, Louisiana has over 600 felony offenses and sets unique penalties for each of them. In Smart on Crime Louisiana’s report, The Future of Justice, we explain how the haphazard nature of our felony system contributes to higher incarceration costs and confusion around sentencing. Accurate data about how the current system creates challenges for judges and lawmakers alongside information about the benefits of a felony classification system could create an appealing path toward increased order in Louisiana’s sentencing system. Oklahoma is a case study in using data to understand where disorder lies and how to correct it. In the 2026 legislative session, Oklahoma lawmakers passed HB3321, which mandates reports on the quantity and cost of arrests made due to overdue fines and fees. Armed with new information about the cost and effectiveness of the practice, lawmakers in Oklahoma will be able to eliminate those fines, fees, and penalties which are not fiscally responsible. Legislative and regulatory redundancy and overlap are easily fixable issues, particularly on the state level and sophisticated methods of data collection exist to reveal where these problems lie. Using data to identify and eliminate disorder helps both public safety and taxpayers. 

Data that reveals what works can offer a blueprint to legislatures around the country. In May, Forbes highlighted how “prison reform is becoming a conservative initiative.” Citing second chance hiring, evidence-based reentry programs, and the end goals of rehabilitation and fiscal prudence, the article emphasized how state-level legislation has been a crucial component of this movement. The lab of democracy allows states to look at the data surrounding enacted laws and refine the same legislative frameworks to fit their specific needs. 

Data is more than just the numbers; it is an invitation to identify problems, improve practices, and act in an informed and strategic manner. The safety of Louisiana’s communities and the future of our criminal justice system depend on a continued dedication to data that reveals crime and disorder, and then points toward solutions.