Overview
Artificial intelligence (AI) presents extraordinary opportunities and risks when applied within the criminal justice system. The decisions made in courts every day already have life-changing consequences—time spent in jail while awaiting trial can cost someone their job, housing, and the chance to access much-needed services. Given the high stakes of these decisions, using AI without careful consideration could impact people’s liberty or cause serious harm.
The criminal legal system deprives people of liberty. It shouldn’t be using AI to do this.
—Sara Friedman, Council of State Governments Justice Center
Enthusiasm for applying these new technologies is high and use is unregulated. As the technology spreads into courts and legal systems, how do we ensure AI is used responsibly?
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Uniting a Fast-Moving Field
As a founding partner of the newly launched AI and Justice Consortium, we are proud to work as bridge builders among tech companies, justice practitioners, researchers, and communities—organizing leaders across expertise and perspectives to make sure we get AI right in the justice space. Through expert panels, national convenings, and a public knowledge base, we're turning urgent questions into actionable guidance and ensuring AI improves justice for all.
More Resources
Racial and Neighborhood Disparities in Legal Financial Obligations in Jefferson County, Alabama
A study we supported with IBM in Jefferson County, Alabama, offers one promising example of ethical use of AI, with researchers using AI-supported data analysis to uncover disparities in how fines and fees are used in the local legal system.
Read the ArticleRacial and Neighborhood Disparities in Legal Financial Obligations in Jefferson County, Alabama | Proceedings of the AAAI/ACM Conference on AI, Ethics, and Society