The Black Box of Bail Algorithms: One Sensible Solution (excerpt from Jurist – Legal News and Research – Mar 14 2019) JURIST Guest Columnist Jeff Clayton, Executive Director of the American Bail Coalition discusses a recent Idaho bill proposal that seeks to reform the use of risk assessment algorithms inRead More →
Idaho transparency bill would increase public access to pretrial risk tools (excerpt from Mudrock – March 5 2019) Idaho is one step closer to becoming the first state to make pretrial risk assessment algorithms more transparent and open to public scrutiny, addressing long festering concerns about the risk to civilRead More →
On bail algorithms, non-traditional alliances and moral outrage (excerpt from Boise Weekly, Feb 27, 2019) Rep. Greg Chaney (R-Caldwell) says his name will be attached, as a sponsor or co-sponsor, to only a few proposed measures at the Idaho Statehouse this year. “Certainly fewer than years past. I’ve been aRead More →
As the conversation continues on Idaho’s handling of the pretrial release of criminal defendants and the role of algorithm based pretrial risk assessment tools, so do the usual misguided arguments. Enter former Ada County Sheriff Gary Raney. Former Ada County Sheriff Gary Raney Sheriff Raney thinks “black box” risk assessmentRead More →
Excerpt from KTVB News, Feb 14, 2019 Bipartisan bill seeks to prevent racial bias in criminal risk-assessment Two Treasure Valley lawmakers from opposite sides of the aisle are teaming up on a bill they say will keep defendants from being unfairly labeled by a computer algorithm as likely future criminals.Read More →
As bail reformers continue to their push to implement group-data based criminal justice algorithms to decide bail and conditions of release, the push back against them continues to gain momentum. This time, in conservative Idaho, a group of bipartisan legislators have introduced legislation to end “black-box” algorithms and require thatRead More →
Excerpt from the Idaho Post Register, Feb 7, 2019 New bill would ban racist algorithms from setting bail BOISE — A bill to ban the use of pretrial risk assessment algorithms that weigh factors such as race was introduced Thursday into the Legislature. Algorithms are used by judges in some places,Read More →
