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Rural criminal legal systems share three characteristics: long distances from resources, low caseload volumes, and a dangerous scarcity of prosecutors, judges, and criminal defense providers. Geospatial mapping offers otherwise unattainable insights into these critical operational features of rural criminal courts. Mapping can accurately depict lawyer scarcity, calculate drive times, and identify optimal sites for criminal justice operations, such as regionalized indigent defense services.

This study of five jurisdictions that recently implemented new public defense practices aims to help state and local leaders improve public defense. With a comprehensive study of five local public defense systems across four states, the Deason Center will determine whether new public defense structures were associated with significant change. Researchers are collecting and compare data about pre- and post-implementation representation rates, pretrial detention rates and case outcomes.

Texas misdemeanor courts are in crisis. Across the state, arrested people are routinely left to navigate the criminal legal system alone and undefended. Many plead guilty to misdemeanors without ever having a lawyer's help. To understand why this is happening and how to fix it, Deason Center researchers studied how and when people are appointed – or denied - counsel in their misdemeanor cases in Texas. 

Gauging Improvement in Defense Efforts and Outcomes in New York (GIDEON) investigates the impact of New York State’s increased funding of public defense. The study explores whether reductions in indigent defense caseloads produce higher quality lawyering and considers how caseload reductions impact clients and their communities.

The District Attorney Learning and Leadership through Application of Science (DALLAS) project is a Deason Center partnership with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. This powerful collaboration considers how prosecutorial reforms impact racial equity and due process, and empowers the District Attorney to make data-informed decisions.

Could just one change at the Dallas County District Attorney's Office decrease pretrial detention, save taxpayers' money, support more crime victims, reduce prosecutors' caseloads, and help system-impacted children and families? We're going to find out.

Research Director

Assistant Research Director

Empirical Policy Attorney

Research Specialist

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow

Research and Policy Analyst