University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy analyzed pretrial risk assessment tools and found they reproduce racial and socioeconomic bias. The report recommends they not be used in pretrial release decisions.
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Increasing numbers of jurisdictions are adopting the PSA, due to their belief that it is efficient, cost-effective, and race-neutral. But is it?
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For years, the Federal system has used a risk assessment algorithm to judge pretrial risk that is unevenly implemented and has not led to more pretrial freedom.
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New study shows that individual variety within risk lables make the labels too weak to be meaningful. Researchers Kristian Lum, David B. Dunson, and James Johndrow published a study showing that risk levels produced by risk assessment algorithms encompass a wide range of individuals with too much variety in their predicted risk to make those … Continued
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Researchers Megan Stevenson and Sandra Mayson studied the concept of risk and applied an empirical framework to the question of how much supposed risk justifies the harms that come from pretrial incarceration.
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Pretrial Justice Institute releases a report detailing arguments against the use of risk assessments. “In 2020, after an extensive period of reflection, the Pretrial Justice Institute released a statement opposing RAIs. First and foremost, that position was driven by a strengthening commitment to racial equity and a conviction that the tools do not adequately address … Continued
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Reform advocates argue whether to keep cash bail or implement risk assessments. “The movement to eradicate bail from America’s justice system will face a crucial test Nov. 3, when California voters will decide whether to end the centuries-old practice of trading money for freedom and replace it with algorithms that try to predict whether defendants … Continued
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New study finds Colorado pretrial tool widens racial disparities in jails. “A July study by the University of Northern Colorado found that the most widely used risk assessment tool in Colorado, known as the Colorado Pretrial Assessment Tool, or CPAT, scored Black people higher than white people even though their odds of missing a court … Continued
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Intercept article examines impact of RATs in Kentucky. “As community bail funds across the country received an outpouring of donations to release thousands of people arrested during anti-police brutality protests in the wake of George Floyd’s killing, the underlying inequities of bail reform measures are getting a closer look. Criminal justice reform advocates have raised the alarm about … Continued
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Judges in Ohio rejected a proposed requirement for RATs. The ACLU of Ohio took a strong stance against the use of RATs, stating that “Risk assessment instruments have not been shown to fix bias in pretrial decision-making, even as a supplement to decisions made by judges.” This statement had an impact on the Ohio Supreme … Continued
Read MoreDisclaimer:
Movement Alliance Project and MediaJustice created this site as a tool to support organizers and movements seeking to end pretrial detention and pretrial punishment. We think organizers need to pay close attention to exactly how these tools are used, and approach risk assessment with skepticism when it is presented as a solution to pretrial incarceration.
Our research was conducted by a team of organizers, interns, researchers, and local activists. We relied on internet searching, communication with public officials and bureaucrats, and publicly available Freedom of Information Act requests.
We do not expect our data to be perfect. We did NOT get a snapshot of every single tool in use across the country, and our data could have gaps or be wrong in some places.
Check out our full purpose and caveats and methodology for more information on how we conducted our research.
If you see a gap or correction in our information, please contact us.
