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Comment on The dangers of letting algorithms make decisions in law enforcement

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I take from this that there needs to be some flexibility in how the results of the algorithms are applied. I also find the first example in the article unconvincing as a real mistake. It states that Robert McDaniel had:

a misdemeanor conviction and several arrests on a variety of offenses—drug possession, gambling, domestic violence

then it seems like it's calling the algorithms a mistake that

branded Robert McDaniel a likely criminal

Maybe I"m just sheltered, but a history of arrests, drug possession, and domestic violence tell me that the person is probably a criminal (though whether that rises to the level of bring one of Chicago's top 420 criminals I can't say).

but a history of arrests, drug possession, and domestic violence tell me that the person is probably a criminal

Reading more about Robert McDaniel, he apparently made the list because one of his childhood friends was shot and killed: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-08-21/news/ct-met-he...

but a history of arrests

You're not looking at convictions? Just arrests?

Yeah, it says "a" conviction, and we all are (or should be) aware that arrests occur much more frequently than guilt.

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