How We Assessed the Accuracy of Predictive Policing Software

October 02 2023

The Markup recently published the first installment in a multipart investigation series on using artificial intelligence programs in policing. The first publication focused on Geolitica, a software that claims to take historical crime data and predict where and when future crime is most likely to occur. According to The Markup, "We found the software disproportionately directed officers to patrol neighborhoods with relatively higher percentages of low-income, Black, and Latino residents compared to those cities or counties on the whole. Our analysis was based on data produced by Geolitica and provided directly to police departments in 38 jurisdictions across the U.S. Geolitica was formerly known as PredPol until 2021."

Dr. Phillip Atiba Solomon, CEO and Co-Founder of the Center for Policing Equity, spoke to the investigation reporters. The following is an excerpt from the article:

During the reporting process for our initial investigation into Geolitica’s crime prediction algorithm, the Center for Policing Equity’s Co-Founder Phillip [Solomon] told us, “There is no such thing as crime data; there is only reported crime data. And the difference between the two is huge.”

Read the full article on The Markup website.