“If it bleeds, it leads” - that’s as true now as it was 100 years ago. The expression usually refers to the kind of journalism that is shallow, sensational and quickly forgotten as soon as public interest turns elsewhere. This kind of journalism poorly serve those who are moist affected by violent crime - survivors and their families, the accused and their families, witnesses, prosecutors and lawyers, researchers and anyone else with a personal or professional interest in specific cases or accumulated data. Their questions go deeper, are ongoing and often not answered at all by just following the news.
This is where DC Witness comes in. The nonprofit organization was founded in 2015 to bring transparency and accountability to Washington, DC’s criminal justice system, focusing on homicides, domestic violence, and sexual assault cases as they move through the courts. DC Witness is strictly nonpartisan and non-advocacy, reporting facts without editorializing or selecting cases for sensationalism. While its core beats are homicide, domestic violence, and sexual assault, DC Witness aims to cover all violent crime and domestic violence.
At the Hacks Hackers summit two weeks ago in Baltimore, I had the chance to talk to founder and publisher Amos Gelb about the goals, methods and business model of this innovative media company as well as how DC Witness is able scale now with the use of AI.
The problem with the criminal justice system:
Relatives, lawyers, and prosecutors all face significant pain points in accessing timely, accurate, and usable case information, including lack of real-time updates, overwhelming data volumes, inaccessible formats, fragmented systems, and bureaucratic or legal barriers.
Difficulty Tracking Cases: Families often find it nearly impossible to follow what is happening in a case as it moves through the criminal justice system. There is no centralized or user-friendly way to receive timely updates or understand the status of proceedings.
Lack of Real-Time Notifications: Without dedicated systems, families may not know when hearings are scheduled, postponed, or when significant developments occur in a case.
Opaque Court Processes: The complexity and bureaucracy of the court system can make it hard for non-experts to access or interpret information, leaving families feeling confused and excluded.
Delayed and Limited Access to Evidence: Defense attorneys report challenges in getting timely access to digital evidence, which is often provided late or in formats that are hard to navigate. This can hamper their ability to prepare a thorough defense.
Overwhelming Volume of Data: The sheer amount of digital evidence (“data dumps”) can be unmanageable and delivered in difficult formats, making it difficult for lawyers and journalists to review, process, and identify what is relevant within tight deadlines.
Dependence on Opposing Parties: Defense teams often rely on the prosecution’s summaries or goodwill to access additional data, which may be incomplete, redacted, or lack context.
Legal and Technical Barriers: Lawyers must navigate privacy laws, technical issues (like metadata analysis), and sometimes insufficient digital literacy, all of which can impede effective use of evidence.
Fragmented and Outdated Systems: Many jurisdictions still use outdated technologies and fragmented databases, making it difficult for anyone to get a clear, comprehensive view of a case’s progress.
Privacy and Access Restrictions: While court records are generally public, there are frequent motions to restrict access to sensitive information, and remote electronic access may be limited, forcing parties to make in-person requests.
Lack of Centralized, Searchable Data: There is often no single, reliable source where all relevant case data can be easily searched and cross-referenced by families, lawyers, or prosecutors.
The solutions:
DC Witness addresses many of these issues by providing real-time notifications, centralized data, and user-friendly tools for tracking cases. Trained reporters and interns attend and document every hearing in every relevant case, creating a comprehensive, real-time database of the judicial process - tracking over 100 data points per case, verifying and enhancing them. Over time, DC Witness developed a substantial database (over 5.2 million data points) from court proceedings in Washington, DC, and Baltimore, which it leverages to provide real-time notifications and insights to victims' families, legal professionals, and communities.
Key Uses of AI:
Any of the processes listed below can now be handled more efficiently and on a larger scale than a few years ago. That enabled the organization to branch out into a new city and start Baltimore Witness in 2021 and then develop a franchising model for further locations. DC Witness’ use of AI does not involve the latest shiny technology but practical and robust tools that are tailored to specific real-world needs. “Most of the AI people talk about is what I call it the Ferrari effect. We're not really fancy. We're smart technology, but we're a beaten up old Ford pickup that carries the load and does the job”, says Amos Gelb.
Automating Data Extraction and Organization:DC Witness uses AI to process incoming information such as police press releases. Previously, editors would spend up to 90 minutes manually reading, editing, and entering these details into their system. Now, AI automates this process by extracting key facts, categorizing incidents, and initiating new case records, reducing the editor’s workload to a quick five-minute review for accuracy and completeness.
Cross-Referencing and Data Visualization:AI-driven tools allow users to cross-reference data on attorneys, prosecutors, judges, and cases. For example, users can instantly see how many cases a particular attorney has handled, the outcomes, and trends over time. This helps legal professionals and the public understand patterns in case management and judicial behavior.
Real-Time Notifications and Community Engagement:DC Witness has developed systems that use AI to send real-time push notifications to victims’ families and other stakeholders about developments in specific cases. This service is funded in part by city grants.
Custom AI Products for Sorting and Tagging:DC Witness has built customizable AI frameworks to help small publishers and local partners sort, tag, and utilize criminal justice data. This enables broader access to reliable information and supports local journalism and advocacy efforts without dependence on large tech companies.
Supporting Systemic Improvements:In Baltimore, DC Witness used AI-powered analysis to help the mayor’s office identify repeat violations of protective orders in domestic violence cases - a task the city’s own systems could not accomplish. Its AI tools can sift through court data to spot patterns and flag cases for intervention, helping authorities manage caseloads and prioritize responses.
Principles and Limitations:
No Predictive Policing or Risk Scoring:DC Witness explicitly avoids using AI for predictive analytics or risk assessments, such as forecasting recidivism or labeling individuals as “high risk.” Its AI use is strictly limited to processing and organizing public information, not making judgments or predictions about individuals. “We’re not picking winner and losers”, says Amos Gelb.
Transparency and Data Integrity:All data processed by DC Witness’s AI comes from public court records and hearings. The organization does not accept leaks or non-public information, ensuring that their AI-driven outputs are transparent and verifiable.
Business Model and Revenue Streams
DC Witness is not a traditional journalism outlet relying on advertising or subscriptions. Instead, it primarily sustains its operations through a combination of grants, fee-for-service contracts, partnerships, and donations.
Government and City Grants:DC Witness receives grants from the city governments of Washington DC and Baltimore to provide community services. For example, both cities have funded DC Witness to deliver real-time push notifications and case updates to victims’ families and other stakeholders. These are essentially fee-for-service contracts, where DC Witness is paid to provide a specific service that the city itself is unable to deliver as effectively or in real-time.
Fee-for-Service Data and Technology Products:The organization has developed AI-driven tools and databases that are valuable to legal professionals, government agencies, and community organizations. They provide access to these tools and data products as a service, which can include case tracking, attorney performance analytics, and specialized data analysis (such as identifying repeat protective order violators in domestic violence cases).
Partnerships and Affiliate Networks:DC Witness is building an affiliate network to expand its model to other cities. The idea is to empower local organizations with its methodology, data infrastructure, and technology, allowing those affiliates to generate revenue locally by providing similar services and products.
Donations and Philanthropy:As a nonprofit, DC Witness also solicits donations from the public to support its mission. These donations help fund data collection, reporting, and technology development.
Why is DC Witness a relevant case study?
DC Witness offers a compelling model for legacy news publishers seeking relevance, trust, and impact on complex local beats like criminal justice. Here are the most important lessons:
Comprehensive, Non-Selective Coverage: DC Witness covers every case, every hearing, and every step of the judicial process for violent crimes—not just the most sensational or headline-grabbing stories. This approach ensures that all lives and cases are treated with equal importance, providing a more accurate and complete picture of the criminal justice system.
Focus on facts: DC Witness lets the data and facts speak for themselves and provides the verified information needed for others to make informed decisions.
Using custom AI tools and automated workflows: DC Witness streamlines the process of gathering, verifying, and presenting information. This not only increases efficiency but also allows for new products, such as real-time notifications for families and legal professionals.
Sustainability Through Local Partnerships DC Witness is expanding by empowering local affiliates with its methodology and technology, rather than trying to scale centrally. This model supports sustainability, local relevance, and community trust.