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The Increasing Role of Predictive Analysis In Police Work

Posted by samzenpus on from the before-it-happens dept.

elucido writes "A growing number of law enforcement agencies, in the US and elsewhere, have been adopting software tools with predictive analytics, based on algorithms that aim to predict crimes before they happen. From the article: 'Without some of the sci-fi gimmickry, police departments from Santa Cruz, California, to Memphis, Tennessee, and law enforcement agencies from Poland to Britain have adopted these new techniques. The premise is simple: criminals follow patterns, and with software — the same kind that retailers like Wal-Mart and Amazon use to determine consumer purchasing trends — police can determine where the next crime will occur and sometimes prevent it.'"

4 of 180 comments (clear)

  1. Identifying mass murderers made easy... by geogob · · Score: 5, Funny

    The software checks if person of interest holds a Facebook account. Voilà! If he or she doesn't, it should mean he/she will commit mass murder. Couldn't be easier, I guess...

  2. Facebook abstainers by hoggoth · · Score: 4, Funny

    Start by rounding up all those suspicious Facebook abstainers!

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  3. Re:How would we know ? by Kell+Bengal · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's because it's pigs doing the arresting.

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  4. Re:obligatory Philip K. Dick reference by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 5, Funny

    I knew you were going to make that mistake, but I wasn't sure warning you was the right thing to do.

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