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Algorithmic decision-making can lead to discrimination against legally protected groups, but measuring such discrimination is often hampered by a fundamental selection challenge. We develop new quasi-experimental tools to overcome this challenge and measure algorithmic discrimination in pretrial bail decisions. We show that the selection challenge reduces to the challenge of measuring four moments, which can be estimated by extrapolating quasi-experimental variation across as-good-as-randomly assigned decision-makers. Estimates from New York City show that both a sophisticated machine learning algorithm and a simpler regression model discriminate against Black defendants even though defendant race and ethnicity are not included in the training data. 

JAMIE LENNEY, BYRON LUTZ, FINN SCHÜLE, and LOUISE SHEINER: "The Sustainability of State and Local Pensions: A Public Finance Approach" Comment by Deborah Lucas Comment by Joshua Rauh General Discussion PANEL on COVID-19 AND ECONOMIC POLICY AFTER ONE YEAR ANDREW ATKESON: "Behavior and the Dynamics of Epidemics" CHRISTINA D. ROMER: "The Fiscal Policy Response to the Pandemic" KRISTA RUFFINI and ABIGAIL WOZNIAK: "Supporting Workers and Families in the Pandemic Recession: Results in 2020 and Suggestions for 2021" General Discussion ANDREW METRICK and DANIEL TARULLO: "Congruent Financial Regulation" Comment by Viral Acharya Comment by Hyun Song Shin General Discussion PANEL on FIFTY YEARS OF BPEA’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO MACROECONOMICS AND POLICY ROBERT E. HALL: "The Brookings Panel’s Contributions to Research on Labor Markets" ROBERT J. GORDON: "Productivity and Growth over the Years at BPEA" ALAN S. BLINDER: "BPEA and Monetary Policy over Fifty Years" WILL DOBBIE and CRYSTAL YANG: "The Economic Costs of Pretrial Detention" Comment by Conrad Miller Comment by Justin Wolfers General Discussion CAROLINE M. HOXBY: "Advanced Cognitive Skill Deserts in the United States: Their Likely Causes and Implications" Comment by Erik Hurst Comment by Brian A. Jacob General Discussion 

JAMIE LENNEY, BYRON LUTZ, FINN SCHÜLE, and LOUISE SHEINER: "The Sustainability of State and Local Pensions: A Public Finance Approach" Comment by Deborah Lucas Comment by Joshua Rauh General Discussion PANEL on COVID-19 AND ECONOMIC POLICY AFTER ONE YEAR ANDREW ATKESON: "Behavior and the Dynamics of Epidemics" CHRISTINA D. ROMER: "The Fiscal Policy Response to the Pandemic" KRISTA RUFFINI and ABIGAIL WOZNIAK: "Supporting Workers and Families in the Pandemic Recession: Results in 2020 and Suggestions for 2021" General Discussion ANDREW METRICK and DANIEL TARULLO: "Congruent Financial Regulation" Comment by Viral Acharya Comment by Hyun Song Shin General Discussion PANEL on FIFTY YEARS OF BPEA’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO MACROECONOMICS AND POLICY ROBERT E. HALL: "The Brookings Panel’s Contributions to Research on Labor Markets" ROBERT J. GORDON: "Productivity and Growth over the Years at BPEA" ALAN S. BLINDER: "BPEA and Monetary Policy over Fifty Years" WILL DOBBIE and CRYSTAL YANG: "The Economic Costs of Pretrial Detention" Comment by Conrad Miller Comment by Justin Wolfers General Discussion CAROLINE M. HOXBY: "Advanced Cognitive Skill Deserts in the United States: Their Likely Causes and Implications" Comment by Erik Hurst Comment by Brian A. Jacob General Discussion