Stop predictive policing!
A recent Union Leader Editorial said predictive policing should be fixed rather than abolished. The problem is that predictive policing can’t be fixed. Thanks to a FOIA request by the Brennan Center we know that, in NYC specifically, the data falls into three categories: Time and Location; Individuals predisposed to Crime; and An environment that enables Crime. These categories create a feedback loop. For example, in NH African-Americans are 2.8 times more likely to be arrested, and 5.2 times more likely to be in jail than a white person, and Hispanics are 2.5 times more likely to be in jail than a white person. This data is then used in the algorithms that help police “predict” where crime will happen. Police then increase patrols in these predominantly minority neighborhoods, and make more arrests. The cycle continues. If the models showed more crime in wealthy neighborhoods, the cops might also find…
