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Center for Community Research and Evaluation

CLEAR Initiative

The Criminal and Legal Evaluation using Administrative Records Initiative (CLEAR Initiative) is a research unit of the University of Memphis, Center for Community Research and Evaluation. CLEAR's mission is to improve the transparency, accessibility, and usability of data relating to the operations and outcomes of the Shelby County criminal justice system. 

In partnership with five Shelby County agencies, the CLEAR Initiative was created as a tailored, cross-agency model to address one of Shelby County's top public safety priorities. The CLEAR Initiative launched in May 2026 with the financial support and approval of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.

What CLEAR Does

CLEAR is harmonizing data sources across Shelby County Government, making it easier to track outcomes as cases progress through the criminal justice system. By investing in Shelby County's criminal justice data infrastructure, CLEAR's data tools will empower agencies and stakeholders to advance evidence-based policymaking, facilitate continuous quality improvement, and promote public transparency.

  • CLEAR is creating a public dashboard. This interagency dashboard will regularly report metrics across the life cycle of County criminal cases, including case timing/processing, pretrial release, sentencing, and recidivism. The rollout of the public dashboard is planned for fall 2026.
  • To create the dashboard and support future cross-agency initiatives, CLEAR is establishing a cloud-based data warehouse. Using the Snowflake platform, the data warehouse will validate and securely combine information from multiple county agencies and courts to enable robust reporting and analysis.
  • CLEAR also serves as a technical assistance hub for County agencies and stakeholders to use data as an asset, informing decisions, adding capacity, and fostering the pursuit of external funding for successful initiatives.

Partnering Agencies

  • Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk's Office, Heidi Kuhn, Clerk
  • Shelby County District Attorney's Office, Steve Mulroy, District Attorney
  • Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk's Office, Tamara Sawyer, Clerk
  • Shelby County Government, Lee Harris, Mayor
  • Shelby County Sheriff's Office, Floyd Bonner, Sheriff

Project Personnel

CCRE's Data Science Laboratory will implement the CLEAR Initiative in partnership with Shelby County Information Technology Services and partnering agencies.

For inquiries or potential partnerships regarding the CLEAR Initiative, please email clear@memphis.edu.