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Why Collect Data
Five reasons measurement is worth the effort, even for a small unit with limited time. Data turns scattered case files into a tool you can act on, point to, and improve.
1
Informed Decision-Making and Evidence-Based Practice
Data lets you see which case factors recur, where reviews stall, and what actually drives exonerations, so decisions rest on patterns rather than anecdotes.
2
Accountability and Transparency
Clear records let you show your work to courts, boards, and the public, and hold systems to a measurable standard.
3
Documenting Injustice and Patterns
Aggregated cases expose systemic problems, like a recurring lab, an unreliable informant, or a single detective, that no single file reveals on its own.
4
Securing Funding, Support, and Advocacy Impact
Funders and legislators respond to numbers. "We reviewed 240 cases and freed 12 people" opens doors that a narrative alone cannot.
5
System Improvement
Data closes the loop: measure outcomes, find what is broken, fix the process, and confirm the fix worked.
Treat inconsistency as information
If your data comes back inconsistent, treat it as a signal, not a failure: what does it tell you about your intake or workflow?