What We Need Most? Data

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The country is under a very unprecedented time. 

We are still suffering from a global pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 300,000 Americans. 

Without going into political opinion, events and actions during these last couple of days in our city have been horrific to watch as not only a citizen of the United States, but also as a resident of the District of Columbia. And, unrest and uncertainty lurk in the days to come.

However, out of the confrontation one truth stands prominent. If we are to move forward, we can only do so with the facts, said Rep. Cedric Richmond, a congressman from the state of Louisiana who is poised to be President-elect Joe Biden’s senior aide. 

Facts. 

Facts will help us create better systems whether those systems are medical, political or within the criminal justice system. D.C. Witness agrees with the congressman about the need for facts. 

For six years, D.C. Witness has provided the public with various data points on homicide and other violent crimes under court proceedings in the DC criminal justice system. Our policy and work ethic deems that we don’t get ahead of the story by reporting on presumptuous solutions to various crime issues, but that we step back and do the one job that is crucial yet has been the most overlooked — collecting data.

D.C. Witness houses the information on a robust database focused on integral parts of homicides and other violent crimes to provide policymakers, governmental agencies, researchers and organizations with the facts to create policies and initiatives that address specific issues to reduce violent crime. 

This is a turning point in the country and daily life. The only way to make sure life tomorrow is better and more secure than life today is through data — the facts.

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