Source: The Atlantic
A ‘crime forecasting’ system that has often proved to be bias on minorities and the poor is built into the US Senate bill of the Sentencing and Reform Act of 2015.
The bill calls for a “post-sentencing risk and needs assessment system” that essentially evaluates inmates in federal prisons based on a series of factors to develop a “score” that predicts their likelihood of recidivism. The score can change their sentencing, change their housing assignment, telephone and visitation use and privilege, and eligibility for programs.
The use and process of predictive modeling for criminal activity plays a large role in developing the rather significant score, by drawing data from factors of behavior, past criminal activity, and even weather forecasts, as reported by The Atlantic. Unfortunately inmates cannot challenge their score, and can only be revised every so few years; the system itself would be up for revision every three years.
Read full story at: The Atlantic