When she became the attorney general of New Jersey in 2007, Anne Milgram quickly discovered a few startling facts: not only did her team not really know who they were putting in jail, but they had no way of understanding if their decisions were actually making the public safer. And so began her ongoing, inspirational quest to bring data analytics and statistical analysis to the US criminal justice system.

Why smart statistics are the key to fighting crime

America’s criminal justice system often relies on gut feelings instead of facts, leading to errors that cost lives and waste billions. In one city, officers tracked crime with sticky notes, while low-level offenders like a man jailed eight months for stealing blankets filled prison cells. By introducing smart, scalable data analytics, crime dropped dramatically and murders fell by 41 percent. Bringing rigorous, universal risk tools to judges and police promises safer streets, lower costs, and a fairer system for all.