Police are using software to predict crime. Is it a ‘holy grail’ or biased against minorities?

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“Predictive policing” represents a paradigm shift that is sweeping police departments across the country. Law enforcement agencies are increasingly trying to forecast where and when crime will occur, or who might be a perpetrator or a victim, using software that relies on algorithms, the same math Amazon uses to recommend books.

“The hope is the holy grail of law enforcement — preventing crime before it happens,” said Andrew G. Ferguson, a University of District of Columbia law professor preparing a book on big data and policing.

Now used by 20 of the nation’s 50 largest police forces by one count, the technologies are at the center of an increasingly heated debate about their effectiveness, potential impact on poor and minority communities, and implications for civil liberties.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/police-are-using-software-to-predict-crime-is-it-a-holy-grail-or-biased-against-minorities/2016/11/17/525a6649-0472-440a-aae1-b283aa8e5de8_story.html

They sure are pushing the Holy Grail thing a lot in this article. If they can predict it, soon they can just put out Robocops and get rid of human interaction altogether.  

[Guest]

It's never against minorities. White is the new black - it's us that will be targeted, as always. Especially conspiracy-minded people.

 

And yet, it's the minorities who are anti-police and even want it gone, while us white people (Well not me) are in support of it. Weird world, isn't it?

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Wonder if they will catch each other.  Cops commit crimes too!

[Cinnamon 28,944]

1 hour ago, unhooked said:

Wonder if they will catch each other.  Cops commit crimes too!

I'm sure they'll let each other go if they do. Internal Affairs, whoever thought of letting an entity investigate themselves probably never dreamed the people would buy it.