Prosecutors and defense attorneys face unprecedented challenges in today’s justice system, difficulties largely driven by the sheer volume of digital evidence. How much volume? To date, more than 2 billion evidence files have been loaded into Axon Evidence, with cloud storage holding more than 400 petabytes of data.

To put this into perspective, that’s enough storage to hold more than 100 million 4K movies. Managing vast quantities of digital evidence has become the norm for agencies nationwide as sources like body-worn cameras, drones, fleet cameras, CCTV and cell phone video become more common.

The 11th Judicial Circuit in Miami, Fla. reported a more than 40% increase in digital evidence collection from 2022 to 2023, with projections suggesting an additional 75% growth by the end of 2024. Similar increases are happening across the country.

This proliferation of video data provides opportunities for a level of evidentiary certainty that was impossible a decade ago, but also creates a burden for prosecutors and public defenders with the time-consuming demands of a discovery process requiring enormous amounts of data to be sifted through. Prosecutors and public defenders, in particular, have struggled with this, leading to additional pressure on resources.

The creation of the Axon for Prosecutors Program (APP) in 2015 enabled prosecutors to more easily receive, review and disclose digital evidence from law enforcement agencies utilizing Axon devices. Since its first deployment nearly a decade ago, more than 1,500 prosecuting agencies have adopted the program, simplifying their workflows and making the discovery process more manageable. While APP helped simplify the justice workflow, it was evident early on that a more robust solution built specifically for attorneys’ needs would be necessary.

Despite the challenges associated with the increase, the surge in digital evidence — particularly video — has become a crucial asset in building stronger cases. A recent Axon report, Key Trends in Digital Evidence, shows video evidence now plays a role in 86% of cases handled by attorneys. As an example, the DuPage County (Ill.) State’s Attorney’s Office observed video evidence rising from 3,000 videos in 2021 to 35,000 in 2023.

This explosive growth in digital evidence necessitated a comprehensive solution for justice personnel, one that would streamline the collection, reviewing and disclosing of digital evidence, making it more efficient and effective. The launch of Axon Justice in 2021 directly addressed these unique needs of the justice system, delivering a solution specifically designed for both prosecutors and defense attorneys.

For legal professionals, the impact of Axon Justice has been profound. By centralizing and standardizing evidence collection — regardless of its source — legal teams can manage caseloads more effectively. The platform’s advanced features, such as transcription, redaction and third-party video playback, have significantly reduced the time required to review evidence, allowing attorneys to focus on building stronger cases. These tools, says Steve Selby, Chief Technology Officer, 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, also provide invaluable time savings for staff, which improves job satisfaction and enables prosecutors and defense attorneys to take on more cases.

“What Axon Justice has done for us has given us a lot better tools, a lot more configurability, and the ability, most importantly, to automate what we do to try to conserve staff time,” explains Selby. ”My staff, especially on the attorney side and on the paralegal side, were able to jump right in and use it. There wasn't a ton of training, there wasn't a ton of implementation necessary.”

Stephen Crump, Executive Director of the Tennessee District Attorney’s General Conference, notes his agency serves 32 elected district attorneys across Tennessee, and there was a notable disparity in their ability to handle video evidence and manage the increasing volume. Since deploying Axon Justice statewide, every prosecutor in Tennessee now has access to a comprehensive set of tools, allowing them to efficiently manage their own digital evidence review. Axon Justice centralizes case files, providing a unified platform for organizing and reviewing all evidence, including video, with standardized tools for effortless management.

“By putting Axon Justice on every lawyer’s desk, we’re saving 88 full-time [video technician] positions across the state, and that’s a savings of almost $3 million,” adds Crump. “And when you combine that with the transcription services we’re using Axon Justice for, we’re saving the taxpayers almost $4 million just by having these tools on our desk.”