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The Conversation
Maria Lungu, Postdoctoral Researcher of Law and Public Administration, University of Virginia

Predictive policing AI is on the rise − making it accountable to the public could curb its harmful effects

Data like this seven-day crime map from Oakland, Calif., feeds predictive policing AIs. City of Oakland via CrimeMapping.com

The 2002 sci-fi thriller “Minority Report” depicted a dystopian future where a specialized police unit was tasked with arresting people for crimes they had not yet committed. Directed by Steven Spielberg and based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, the drama revolved around “PreCrime” − a system informed by a trio of psychics, or “precogs,” who anticipated future homicides, allowing police officers to intervene and prevent would-be assailants from claiming their targets’ lives.

The film probes at hefty ethical questions: How can someone be guilty of a crime they haven’t yet committed? And what happens when the system gets it wrong?

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