Westchester Insider: Westchester County DA ROCAH NAMES KATHY KAUFMAN, PhD. FIRST-EVER CHIEF DATA OFFICER.

 

WESTCHESTER COUNTY OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY

MIRIAM E. ROCAH

***NEWS RELEASE***

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 25, 2021

 

DA ROCAH NAMES KATHY KAUFMAN, PhD. FIRST-EVER CHIEF DATA OFFICER.

 

Since taking office in January, Westchester DA Miriam E. Rocah has stressed the importance of data collection and analysis to fight crime, create safer communities and identify racial and gender bias in the criminal justice system.

 

Today, DA Rocah announced that Kathy Kaufman, PhD has joined the DA’s Office as Chief Data Officer, a newly-created position.

 

“The people of Westchester need to have confidence that our justice system is as effective, fair and equitable as it can be,” Rocah said. “Comprehensive, sophisticated data collection and management and in-depth analysis will help us to identify where our criminal justice system needs to do better, and shape our work to address these issues and provide greater transparency to the public.” 

 

“We are excited to have Dr. Kaufman on board to lead this new effort in the DA’s Office,” Rocah added.

 

Dr. Kaufman’s work will focus on developing more fully integrated data management systems. It will encompass a number of areas in which better access to data and information can facilitate the work of the DA’s Office, improve public accountability, reduce racial and gender disparities in prosecutions and generally help ensure that the criminal justice system treats everyone as equitably as possible.

 

She will work on creating reporting systems for measuring and monitoring outcomes; improving real-time access to records related to witness integrity; and designing data dashboards and tools for monitoring the origins and dispositions of complaints and referrals.

 

Dr. Kaufman, who joined the office on May 17, is a sociologist and data analyst who has led a number of initiatives related to policing in Westchester County over the past five years. Her recent projects include authoring a research report on low-level marijuana possession arrests, developing data dashboards on a variety of policing-related topics, and leading a Westchester County criminal justice voter guide project.

 

She also serves on the Westchester County Criminal Justice Advisory Board. In addition, Dr. Kaufman has held teaching positions at Vassar College and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.