An Algorithm Deemed This Nearly Blind 70-Year-Old Prisoner a "Moderate
Risk." Now He's No Longer Eligible for Parole.
Limiting Parole: A new law pushed by Louisiana Governor Jeff
Landry cedes much of the power of the parole board to an algorithm
that prevents thousands of prisoners from early release.
Immutable Risk Score: The risk assessment tool, TIGER, does not
take into account efforts prisoners make to rehabilitate themselves.
Instead, it focuses on factors that cannot be changed.
Racial Bias: Civil rights attorneys say the new law could disproportionately harm Black people in part because the algorithm
measures factors where racial disparities already exist.
...
...
A computerized scoring system adopted by the state Department of
Public Safety and Corrections had deemed the nearly blind 70-year-old,
who uses a wheelchair, a moderate risk of reoffending, should he be
released. And under a new law, that meant he and thousands of other
prisoners with moderate or high risk ratings cannot plead their cases
before the board. According to the department of corrections, about
13,000 people -- nearly half the state's prison population -- have
such risk ratings, although not all of them are eligible for parole
https://www.propublica.org/article/tiger-algorithm-louisiana-parole-calvin-alexander
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