In the heart of Los Angeles, a quiet revolution is underway—one that is reshaping the criminal justice system not just through technology, but through a renewed focus on the people it serves. The LA County Public Defender’s Office, one of the largest in the United States, has embarked on a journey of digital transformation that is already delivering profound operational and human impacts. At the core of this transformation is a simple but powerful idea: technology is not the end, but the means. When designed with empathy and purpose, digital tools can become equalizers, unlocking access to justice for society’s most vulnerable.
For decades, public defenders in LA County faced a daunting reality. Each case could involve thousands of sheets of paper, and the office as a whole managed millions of legal records stored in vast warehouses. This paper-based system was not just inefficient—it was a barrier to justice. Public defenders, often with limited resources, struggled to access critical information quickly enough to build the strongest possible defense for their clients. For individuals caught in the system—many of whom are low-income, have disabilities, or face other vulnerabilities—these delays could mean the difference between freedom and incarceration, between hope and despair.
In partnership with Publicis Sapient, the LA Public Defender’s Office undertook a massive digitization effort, converting over 160 million documents into a modern, searchable digital case management system. This was not just a technical upgrade; it was a reimagining of how justice could be delivered. Now, public defenders have instant access to case files, legal precedents, and client histories—tools that empower them to advocate more effectively and efficiently.
As one public defender featured in the documentary Forgiving Johnny described, the impact is tangible: “Each case on average has about 5,000 sheets of paper. After the decade of work that Publicis Sapient did, that system became digital. Everything was suddenly at the fingertips of these public defenders. And it was transformative.”
The operational benefits of digitization are clear—faster case preparation, reduced administrative burden, and the ability to handle a staggering 200,000 cases a year. But the true measure of success lies in the human stories behind the data. In California, a new law allows defendants with developmental disabilities to seek diversion—treatment instead of prison. Yet, as the film Forgiving Johnny reveals, access to this legal right was often out of reach for those who needed it most. The reason? Paperwork. As one attorney put it, “Paper is money.” Without the resources to sift through mountains of files, public defenders could not always build the case for diversion, and clients like Johnny risked falling through the cracks.
With the new digital system, that changed. Public defenders could quickly assemble the necessary documentation, identify patterns, and connect the dots across cases. For Johnny, this meant the difference between a 20-year prison sentence and a chance at treatment and forgiveness. For thousands of others, it means the law is no longer just words on a page—it is a living promise of justice, accessible to all.
Legal professionals who have worked with the new system speak to its transformative power. One public defender noted, “If you get even slightly tangled in the criminal justice system, because it’s so slow and it takes so long, the effects are disastrous. Who wins by this huge inefficiency? Nobody. People who shouldn’t be in prison are in prison. There’s no one who wins. It’s a lose-lose proposition because we aren’t applying our intelligence and our best technology to our most important problems. And that’s what’s so hopeful about this story—we are taking a lose-lose and making it a win-win.”
The LA Public Defender’s Office is not alone in facing these challenges, nor in discovering the power of human-centered digital transformation. Across the country, public sector leaders and social justice advocates are recognizing that technology, when thoughtfully applied, can level the playing field between well-resourced private law firms and overburdened public defenders. It can democratize access to legal rights, reduce systemic delays, and restore dignity to those who have long been marginalized by bureaucracy.
This approach is not about replacing people with machines. As Publicis Sapient’s leadership emphasizes, “Transformation is about people. It’s done by people, with people, and for people.” The technology is the enabler, but the outcome is measured in lives changed, rights restored, and hope renewed.
The experience of the LA Public Defender’s Office offers several key lessons for anyone seeking to drive meaningful change in government or the justice system:
At Publicis Sapient, we believe that digital transformation is not just about business outcomes—it is about building a better, more just society. Our work with the LA Public Defender’s Office stands as a testament to what is possible when technology is harnessed in service of people. As the story of Forgiving Johnny shows, the ripple effects of this work extend far beyond any single case. They offer a blueprint for how government, technology, and human empathy can come together to create a justice system that truly serves all.
Ready to learn more? Discover how Publicis Sapient partners with public sector organizations to drive equity, efficiency, and lasting impact through human-centered digital transformation.