A new online tool has been launched in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with the aim of increasing transparency and accountability within the criminal justice system. The tool, called Commons, was developed by the non-profit Measures of Justice in collaboration with the East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office. It provides a web-based system that allows users to track trends in criminal cases, ultimately leading to improvements in transparency and accountability.
The CEO of YWCA Greater Baton Rouge, Dianna Payton, who serves on the DA’s Community Advisory Board, emphasized the importance of strengthening and improving areas of the criminal justice system. Payton stated that the board analyzes the data provided by Commons to identify areas where improvements can be made, such as ensuring better access to pretrial diversion services.
The Pretrial Diversion Program, which offers certain offenders the opportunity to resolve their charges after fulfilling conditions and paying fines, is a particular area of focus. District Attorney Hillar Moore aims to increase the use of this program, with the current percentage of cases sent to pretrial diversion standing at 7%. The office plans to raise this to 8% or higher by the end of the year.
Payton sees the launch of Commons as a crucial first step towards criminal justice reform. She believes that transparency is essential in bringing the community together to address and strengthen the system.
An upcoming launch event is planned to showcase the tool and demonstrate how it works. However, individuals can access Commons for free at any time through the website.
The introduction of this online tool aims to foster trust and engagement with the East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office. By providing easily accessible data and trends, Commons empowers the community and stakeholders to actively contribute to the improvement of the criminal justice system.
