Full interview: San Francisco district attorney on using algorithm to set bail
Judges weigh a LOT of factors as part of setting bail. So it’s hard to be consistent, and to act without unconscious bias. Another problem? Sometimes people with no money who are not dangerous can’t get out of jail, and people with lots of money can. However, algorithms are of course created by humans … so they may contain their own implicit biases.
San Francisco and around 30 jurisdictions around the country are now testing a bail algorithm tool from a nonprofit called the Arnold Foundation. We talk about it with San Francisco’s district attorney, George Gascón.
Click the above audio player to hear the full interview.
If you’re a member of your local public radio station, we thank you — because your support helps those stations keep programs like Marketplace on the air. But for Marketplace to continue to grow, we need additional investment from those who care most about what we do: superfans like you.
Your donation — as little as $5 — helps us create more content that matters to you and your community, and to reach more people where they are – whether that’s radio, podcasts or online.
When you contribute directly to Marketplace, you become a partner in that mission: someone who understands that when we all get smarter, everybody wins.
