Binghamton Research Days Student Presentations
Eric Yen - Eric Yen Poster (1).pptx
Predictive Policing: The Use of AI in the Justice System and the Future of Law Enforcement
Predictive Policing: The Use of AI in the Justice System and the Future of Law Enforcement
Eric Yen (First-year, Sociology)
Eric Yen (First-year, Sociology)
Mentors: Alexandra Moore, English and Kaschak Institute for Social Justice for Women and Girls; David Cingranelli, Political Science
Mentors: Alexandra Moore, English and Kaschak Institute for Social Justice for Women and Girls; David Cingranelli, Political Science
Abstract
Defund the police. This simple mantra carried an immense weight as it rippled through the country last summer. It rallied millions together to protest the death of those victims of police brutality, such as George Flloyd and Breona Taylor. The turmoil and uncertainty opened up one glaring question: what does the future of policing look like? How will the police operate with less funding, while becoming more equitable? One answer seems to be predictive policing, which has already been implemented by the NYPD and LAPD. This method utilizes algorithms to predict when and where a crime will take place, and sends officers to the location to deter those from committing the crime. They believe that this technology will account for human bias and promote equality within the system. However, in practice it is ineffective and invasive at best and at its worst, re-entrenches racial bias and inequity. Though some discourse surrounds the issue, little legislation has been passed to govern the programs due to the obscurity and complexity of the programs and the inability to measure their effectiveness. In my research, I will breakdown how these programs work, as well as do close readings of existing laws that can be applied to these programs. I plan to determine whether or not predictive policing is the way forward, and what alternatives or corrections that can be made to make it more effective.
Abstract
Defund the police. This simple mantra carried an immense weight as it rippled through the country last summer. It rallied millions together to protest the death of those victims of police brutality, such as George Flloyd and Breona Taylor. The turmoil and uncertainty opened up one glaring question: what does the future of policing look like? How will the police operate with less funding, while becoming more equitable? One answer seems to be predictive policing, which has already been implemented by the NYPD and LAPD. This method utilizes algorithms to predict when and where a crime will take place, and sends officers to the location to deter those from committing the crime. They believe that this technology will account for human bias and promote equality within the system. However, in practice it is ineffective and invasive at best and at its worst, re-entrenches racial bias and inequity. Though some discourse surrounds the issue, little legislation has been passed to govern the programs due to the obscurity and complexity of the programs and the inability to measure their effectiveness. In my research, I will breakdown how these programs work, as well as do close readings of existing laws that can be applied to these programs. I plan to determine whether or not predictive policing is the way forward, and what alternatives or corrections that can be made to make it more effective.