Online Masterclass ‘Predictive Policing’ – J.H.V. Phaedrus

Around the world, police forces are experimenting with data and algorithms hoping that this enables them to predict and prevent crime. Law enforcement agencies in many countries are deploying investigative tools that they allege can ‘predict’ crime. These tools consist of data and algorithmic models to try to assess the risk if a crime will be committed by a certain person or at a certain location. The use of these methods by the police is known as predictive policing. The Netherlands is at the forefront of developing predictive policing methods. And at a fast pace, science fiction scenarios are becoming reality.

Amnesty’s recently published report ‘We Sense Trouble’ describes the dangers of ‘predictive policing’. This data-driven policing with algorithms are often deployed in what the police calls ‘living labs’. One of these examples is the Sensing project in Roermond. In this project, the police try to prevent mobile banditry (pickpocketing and shoplifting) in a shopping center in the south of the Netherlands. Amnesty International discovered that this project is violating human rights, including privacy and non-discrimination.

This online masterclass starts with a short introduction on Amnesty and its human rights work. After the introduction we will discuss what predictive policing entails, its human rights implications like mass surveillance and discriminatory algorithms and what you as a student can do about this.

What: Online masterclass for J.H.V. Phaedrus students
When: 16-11-20
What time: 17:00 till 18:30 (CEST)
Where: Online in Microsoft Teams

After you sign up, you will get a link to the online Microsoft Teams meeting