Prisons Using AI to Predict When Incarcerated People Will Commit Future Crimes
It's going to "optimize placement of incarcerated individuals." The post Prisons Using AI to Predict When Incarcerated People Will Commit Future Crimes appeared first on Futurism .
Michigan prisons are set to implement an advanced AI system aimed at classifying inmates based on their potential for future criminal behavior. The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) is collaborating with a non-profit technology company called Recidiviz, which developed an AI-integrated software platform designed to analyze data and provide insights into inmate risk levels.
The Recidiviz platform can identify eligibility for state-offered programs, reclassification, release, and coordinate access to resources such as transitional housing and employment. The MDOC expects the AI tool to improve its ability to predict incarcerated individuals' risk of future violence by approximately 30 percent, although the basis for this claim is not specified.
Housing designations made through the AI system have significant implications for incarcerated individuals, including their eligibility for specific programming, resources, and the composition of the population they will be housed with during their sentences. The partnership between MDOC and Recidiviz raises several concerns, particularly regarding the data collection process.
A ProPublica investigation into a similar risk-analysis program in Louisiana revealed that the data used to classify incarcerated individuals contained inherent racial and socioeconomic biases, leading to harsher and more harmful outcomes for those seeking rehabilitation. For instance, a blind and wheelchair-bound 70-year-old with a clean disciplinary record was classified as a "moderate risk" of reoffending, which automatically disqualified him from parole eligibility.
While Michigan's system focuses on housing assignments rather than parole decisions, it is unlikely that AI alone will resolve the state's ongoing corrections crisis. In fact, based on Louisiana's experience, the implementation of AI could potentially exacerbate the situation. A representative from the Michigan Department of Corrections was reached for comment.
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