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Justice by the Numbers: Meet the Statistician Trying to Fix Bias in Criminal Justice Algorithms

Katia Savchuk

February 01, 2019 |

Pacific Standard |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York

Algorithm-based tools are more frequently being used by courts to determine the risk of an alleged offender so judges can better determine whether the person should be detained or not before trial. Although this methodology has shown promise, there are serious limitations when there is not enough data or biased data. One non-profit is working to change this by reevaluating the limitations and advocating for the release of individuals being unjustly detained.

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Jail or Bail? There's a New Option

Ted Alcorn

February 01, 2019 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Between the opposite extremes of jailing too many people unnecessarily before trial or releasing too many unsupervised, New York City judges in 2016 began to use a "supervised release" option. In the first three years, the program's 11,000 defendants showed up for court dates 89% of the time while 8% were rearrested for new felony crimes. The program, which requires people check in regularly with a case manager, helped reduce the jail population by more than a third. The approach tries to balance the needs of public safety with the reality that even a short jail stay carries its own social harms.

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Building the Prison-to-School Pipeline in California

Zoe Sullivan

January 28, 2019 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Berkeley, California

Providing those experiencing incarceration with educational services has shown to reduce recidivism by 28%. While many prisons offer GED or higher education classes, the opportunities are still hard to come by consistently, so organizations like Underground Scholars help recruit individuals after prison to colleges. Looking forward, those pushing for criminal justice reform hope to overturn a 1994 legislation that banned incarcerated individuals from being eligible for Pell Grants, which could help drive more people from prison to school.

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What a medical school on a Rwandan hilltop can teach the United States

Sarah Karlin-Smith

January 27, 2019 |

Politico |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Rwanda, Butaro

In rural Rwanda, a new medical university is offering coursework that understands that health care and health outcomes are deeply intertwined with issues of discrimination and equity. Classes include in-depth looks at history and social justice, and teach the students the skills they need to treat patients in rural areas, without high-tech machines and abundant resources.

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First of its kind refugee-owned sewing group launches in Chicago

Sehar Sufi

January 25, 2019 |

Borderless Magazine |

Multi-Media |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Blue Tin Production Co-operative taps into the sewing talents of immigrant and refugee women in Chicago by offering a living wage to produce work for designers and eventually their own clothing line. The program also offers trauma-informed yoga, legal services, child care, transportation, and language translation to fully support the women. It is the first of its kind and is currently raising money for supplies, but already has produced "life-changing" results for the women's purpose and self-confidence.

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The inspiring thing that happened when a Japanese village went almost waste-free

Alex Gray

January 21, 2019 |

World Economic Forum |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Japan, Kamikatsu, Shikoku

Kamikatsu, a small Japanese village on an island, is on track to become a zero-waste village. The community is made up of only 1,700 residents and—through a combination of community conversations and sorting the waste to be profitable—they managed to keep more than 80% of their waste out of landfills and incinerators. On top of the environmental impact, the Zero Waste Academy brings together a largely-elderly population as a group focused on a mission and has led to an increased sense of community and well-being.

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'Shared equity' model for U.S. housing boosts home ownership for poorer families

Gregory Scruggs

January 21, 2019 |

Thomson Reuters Foundation |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Durham, North Carolina

A community land trust in North Carolina uses a "shared equity" model to help minority and low income people obtain access to affordable housing. The trust owns the land underneath the house, therefore holding onto the majority of the wealth of the property and allowing homes to be sold below market value.

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Medical Students Push For More LGBT Health Training To Address Disparities

Rachel D. Cohen

January 20, 2019 |

NPR |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York

When a medical student identified a lack of education and materials provided to her class that focused on LGBT information and resources, she and her classmates decided to confront the school administration about the curriculum. The conversation spurred action that resulted in increased trainings and teachings that has in turn led to a better likelihood of proper diagnosis for this community.

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How the U.K. is fighting the loneliness epidemic

Thomas Daigle

January 16, 2019 |

CBC |

Broadcast TV News |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United Kingdom, Liverpool, England

Lonliness is a huge health risk in senior citizens. To address this, the U.K. is killing two birds with one stone by assigning mail carriers a couple of seniors to check in on once a week. Mail carriers already know the area well and are easily recognizable, so regular conversations with residents were a logical next step. The carriers conduct surveys every week in order to gain quantitative data to inform their practices, and the program continues to be a success with the senior citizens served.

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Benchmarking Racial Inequity in St. Louis

Zoe Sullivan

January 16, 2019 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, St. Louis, Missouri

The collection and analysis of data is a crucial first step in revealing and addressing areas of racial inequality in cities. Using the methodology of a 2015 New York City program designed to study metrics of inequality, the St. Louis Equity Indicators Project has already filled large gaps in data by identifying 72 metrics of inequality in the heavily racially-divided city. Following the recommendations of the Ferguson Commission, the St. Louis’ Equity Indicators provide a baseline by which the city can track efforts to improve racial disparities across issues of health, education, and legal justice.

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