Pennsylvania County Leads in Use of Big Data to Stem Child Abuse, Probes Ethics First

Computer algorithms guide our decisions in big ways and small. They nudge us to buy a particular blender on Amazon and tailor ads to our interests on our Facebook pages, but also seek to reduce repeat domestic violence arrests and assess risk during criminal sentence proceedings. This is the field of “predictive analytics,” where big data and computer algorithms are said to enhance human decision-making. While these methods are common in business, only now are they migrating into human services provision, and particularly into child welfare agencies…