New Initiative Aims to Produce New Open Data on Policing Sentiments in American Cities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Data Foundation is launching the Policing in America Survey to fill a long-overdue gap in systematically understanding the American people’s views of the criminal justice system and police forces. The Policing in America Survey will be combined with existing open data resources to improve knowledge about the relationship between perceptions of law enforcement organizations and the conditions in select cities, including disparate perceptions and impacts by sub-populations. 

“The Policing in America Survey aims to provide reliable, valid insights to inform future city-level reforms, state and national legislative dialogues, and efforts to implement effective public safety programs across the country,” said Nick Hart, Ph.D., President of the Data Foundation. 

The Data Foundation project is supported by partnerships with Microsoft’s Open Data Initiative, data.world,, NORC at the University of Chicago, and SpotCrime.   

“By better understanding the American people’s views of the criminal justice system and police forces we can empower communities to create a more equitable system of justice and public safety,” said Merisa Heu-Weller, Senior Director of Microsoft’s Justice Reform Initiative. “We’re glad to support this survey and look forward to its insights.”

Data.world will host a free and open Data Resource Hub for the project on its platform, enabling widespread access from the public, researchers, and policymakers. The hub will combine information collected by the Policing in America Survey with existing data assets produced by federal, state, and local agencies and other non-profit initiatives. 

“The need for open law enforcement data to be available and usable is not new, but has been underscored in recent months”, said Patrick McGarry, Head of Strategic Partnerships, data.world. “This data can empower leaders, policymakers, and the communities they serve to inform future reforms and law enforcement efforts as they move forward together. As a public benefit corporation, data.world is determined to provide a free platform to help deliver strong  and reliable results.”

The Policing in America Survey is being designed by national experts in criminal justice policy, social equity, and survey methods. The address-based household survey will be administered by NORC at the University of Chicago. Initial results are expected to be made publicly available in Spring 2021 for Chicago, Illinois and Dallas, Texas. 

Additional details about the project and opportunities for contributing are available at

.

###

About the Policing in America Survey:  The Policing in America Survey is an effort to produce new, relevant data about the perspectives of the American people on public safety and law enforcement. The household survey data, combined with open data assets, offers an opportunity for unique insights that connect perceptions with on-the-ground practices in cities across the United States.  

About the Data Foundation: The Data Foundation is a non-profit think tank based in Washington, D.C. that seeks to improve government and society by using data to inform public policymaking. The Data Foundation’s research and educational activities proactively and rapidly address relevant, emerging data-related needs in the country with the goal of devising realistic solutions, accelerating policy coordination, and advancing innovation. The Data Foundation values diversity and transparency in pursuit of an equitable, data-informed society. www.datafoundation.org

About Microsoft: Microsoft enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

About data.world:  data.world makes it easy for everyone—not just the "data people"—to get clear, accurate, and fast answers to any business question. data.world’s cloud-native data catalog maps siloed, distributed data to familiar and consistent business concepts, creating a unified body of knowledge anyone can find, understand, and use. data.world is an Austin-based Certified B Corporation and public benefit corporation and home to the world’s largest collaborative open data community. data.world 

About NORC at the University of Chicago: NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, NORC has conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with NORC to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge. www.norc.org

About SpotCrime: SpotCrime is a public facing crime map and crime alert service. With SpotCrime, it’s easier than ever to check crime anywhere in the United States and many other countries worldwide. SpotCrime’s goal is to provide the most accurate and timely crime information to the public. www.spotcrime.com