About the Data
The Los Angeles County District Attorney is responsible for investigating and prosecuting crime in the county. The current DA, George Gascón, has championed alternatives to traditional prosecution, including community-based courts and diversion programs for primary caregivers, people with behavioral health challenges, and other populations. The office keeps administrative records for all people arrested and charged in the Los Angeles court systems.
CPL receives quarterly updates to the data, which ranges from 1996 to present. The data is de-identified, person level, administrative data. Key variables include:
- Arrest charge(s)
- Arrest date(s)
- Filed charge(s), if the case is filed
- Case disposition (dismissal, conviction, etc.)
- Case disposition date(s)
- Demographics (de-identified)
Accessing the Data
The LADA data is hosted on CPL’s Secure Data Hub, which is a virtual enclave environment designed for secure analysis and research of sensitive administrative microdata. All proposals will be submitted to the LADA’s office and all researchers and affiliate organizations must sign a DUA with CPL that will outline appropriate uses of the data and requirements set out by the LADA’s office for review of presentations, papers, and any other public deliverables. Applications will be reviewed by CPL and the partnering agency each quarter.
Only approved users have access and only for approved projects. Because final approval lies with the contributing data partners, we cannot make guarantees about the likelihood that a proposal will be accepted. Approved user activities are monitored, logged, and audited.
If you have any questions, email lada-data@capolicylab.org.
