Predictive policing, the practice of using of algorithmic systems to forecast crime, is heralded by police departments as the new frontier of crime analysis. At the same time, it is opposed by civil rights groups, academics, and media outlets for being ‘biased’ and therefore discriminatory against communities of color. This paper argues that the prevailing focus on racial bias has overshadowed two normative factors that are essential to a full assessment of the moral permissibility of predictive policing: fairness in the social distribution of the benefits and burdens of policing as well as the distinctive role of consent in determining fair distribution. When these normative factors are given their due attention, several requirements emerge for the fair implementation of predictive policing. Among these requirements are that police departments inform and solicit buy-in from affected communities about strategic decision-making and that departments favor non-enforcement-oriented interventions.
more »
« less
Community policing and intelligence-led policing: An examination of convergent or discriminant validity
- Award ID(s):
- 1737585
- PAR ID:
- 10104549
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Policing: An International Journal
- Volume:
- 42
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 1363-951X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 43 to 58
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
An official website of the United States government

