Overview

• The UK Ministry of Justice is developing a predictive tool that uses algorithms to analyze data from convicted offenders to assess homicide risk.
• Civil rights group Statewatch revealed through FOI requests that the tool analyzes between 100,000 and 500,000 records, including sensitive personal data such as mental health and addiction histories.
• Officials insist the project is in the research phase and uses only data from convicted individuals, but critics allege it may include data from victims, witnesses, and vulnerable populations.
• Advocacy groups warn the tool could reinforce racial and socioeconomic biases, citing concerns over the use of historically biased data sources like police records.
• The project, originally called the 'Homicide Prediction Project' and now renamed 'Sharing Data to Improve Risk Assessment,' is slated to conclude its research phase by December 2024.