Case Study: How Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Improved Efficiency Through Better Data

Situation

The Thurston County, Washington Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is responsible for managing thousands of criminal cases each year. Like many prosecutor’s offices, staff relied on their case management system to track case information, support court proceedings, and make informed decisions.

Over time, however, inconsistent data entry practices and incomplete records made it increasingly difficult to maintain accurate, reliable information. Small errors created unnecessary work, delayed case preparation, and consumed valuable staff time.

The office recognized that improving the quality of its data could improve the quality of its work.

Problem

Inaccurate and incomplete data was creating operational inefficiencies across the office.

Some of the biggest challenges included:

  • Inconsistent case data and missing information
  • Incorrect pleading charges that no longer reflected changes in state law
  • Manual work required to reconcile conflicting records
  • “Scrivener’s errors,” such as incorrect statute numbers or language, that resulted in document revisions and court delays
  • Limited quality control processes to identify issues before they became larger problems

These issues required prosecutors and support staff to spend significant time correcting records rather than focusing on preparing cases and serving the community.

Solution

Measures for Justice partnered with the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to strengthen its data management practices and further build a culture centered on data quality.

Together, the team implemented new processes that included:

  • Standardized data entry requirements that prevent incomplete case records
  • Improved procedures for updating plea charges 
  • Collection of critical case information, including diversion and incarceration data
  • Weekly quality control reporting to identify and correct errors early
  • Office-wide accountability for maintaining complete and accurate records

Rather than treating data as an administrative task, the office began viewing it as an operational asset that supports every stage of case management.

As the office shared:

“We now look at entire cases, looking to see what’s been captured and what is missing. Staff can’t bypass entry requirements. We ensure all dates are there, we include all diversion information, we’re capturing incarceration information, and we run quality control reports weekly.”

 

Results

The improvements have delivered measurable operational benefits across the office.

Stronger Data Quality

A culture of consistent, accurate data entry has dramatically reduced missing information and improved confidence in the office’s data.

Less Time Spent Correcting Errors

Improved quality controls have significantly reduced data entry mistakes, allowing prosecutors and staff to spend less time fixing documents and more time preparing cases.

More Efficient Case Management

By ensuring charges remain aligned with current law and maintaining consistent records, the office has eliminated many of the manual reconciliation efforts that previously slowed workflows.

Better Use of Public Resources

Reducing administrative rework has translated into meaningful time and cost savings, allowing staff to focus on public safety rather than correcting avoidable errors.

Impact

For the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, investing in better data has produced benefits that extend well beyond cleaner records.

The office now operates with greater efficiency, stronger data integrity, and more streamlined workflows. Prosecutors spend more time preparing cases, court processes move more smoothly, and taxpayer resources are used more effectively.

The experience demonstrates that improving data quality isn’t simply an IT initiative—it’s an investment in better public service, operational excellence, and more effective justice.