CaseGuard: Domestic Violence Case Pattern Analyzer

A privacy-first case management and decision-support platform for legal-aid NGOs and case workers.

Tech Stack

• Frontend: Next.js (App Router), React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui
• Backend: Node.js, Express, TypeScript, Mongoose
• Database: MongoDB
• DevOps: Docker, Docker Compose

Features

• Case Management: Create, view, and manage domestic violence cases.
• Intake & Statements: Structured intake forms and free-text statement logging.
• Mock ML Analysis: Generates Severity, Escalation Score, Patterns, and Triggers.
• Lawyer Briefs: Auto-generates structured briefs that are editable and printable.
• Safe Action Navigator: Rule-based recommendations, evidence checklists, and referrals.
• Admin Panel: Role-based access control and system audit logs.

Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

• Docker and Docker Compose installed on your machine.

Running with Docker (Recommended)

1. Navigate to the root directory.
2. Run the following command:

   docker-compose up --build

3. Access the application:
   • Frontend: http://localhost:3000
   • Backend API: http://localhost:5000
   • MongoDB: localhost:27017

Running Locally (Without Docker)

1. Environment Variables:
   • Copy backend/.env.example to backend/.env.
   • Copy frontend/.env.example to frontend/.env.local.
2. MongoDB: Ensure a local MongoDB instance is running at mongodb://localhost:27017/caseguard.
3. Backend:

   cd backend
   npm install
   npm run dev

4. Frontend:

   cd frontend
   npm install
   npm run dev

Dummy Data (Seed Script)

You can seed your database with sample users and a dummy case by running the seed script from the backend directory:

cd backend
npx ts-node src/scripts/seed.ts

This will create:

• Admin user: admin@caseguard.com / password123
• Case Worker: worker@caseguard.com / password123

Testing (Backend)

The backend is configured with Jest and Supertest. To run tests:

cd backend
npm run test

User Roles & Testing

To test the system fully, log in using the seeded users or register a new user on the frontend.

• By default, new users are assigned the case_worker role.
• To test the Admin panel, log in with the admin credentials provided by the seed script. Once an admin, you can change other users' roles from the UI.