After the Fact | Race and Research: Representation in Data

Music break Dan LeDuc: Understanding the human experience, of course, requires using all sorts of tools and methods—qualitative research that includes focus groups and interviews that take into account the knowledge and skills of the people in various fields, like the criminal justice system. [...] The model is to ensure that trained clinicians actually answer those calls and that when individuals arrive at the scene, that there is the arrival of a paramedic in addition to a licensed clinician. [...] One of the things that we are starting to do with data and information is trying to determine if the experience in Michigan is also the experience in another state, and helping policy actors and system actors look into their systems and see if they are experiencing similar trends. [...] What kind of material will now be available to lawmakers, and how can they act on it? Yolanda Lewis: The importance of racial impact statements is this idea of intentionality and consideration of communities of color, and ensuring that policymakers and individuals who have a seat at the table are thinking about intended and unintended consequences to communities that may potentially be harmed by c. [...] What we know from the data and evidence is that there's a compelling story for comprehensive reform that moves really from the beginning to the end of contact with the system.