The University of Chicago

Racial Bias

  • Can an Algorithm Identify Repeat Offenders?

    Can an Algorithm Identify Repeat Offenders?

    •

    Alec MacMillen

    Assessing the likelihood that a defendant will reoffend in the future is a vital task in the criminal justice system. Judges weigh the risk of recidivism when making decisions about bail and sentencing, and their conclusions can have a significant impact on defendants’ lives. In 1998, the software company Northpointe…

  • Analyzing Racial Bias in Selecting Students for Gifted Classes

    Analyzing Racial Bias in Selecting Students for Gifted Classes

    •

    Anne Gunderson

    Gifted programs in U.S. schools help many students find the sort of academic success that opens the door to opportunities later in life. A recent Vanderbilt University study explores the depths of inequality in the assignment of black students to gifted programs. The authors utilize data from the Early Childhood…

  • Drugs, Racial Bias, and Academic Discord

    Drugs, Racial Bias, and Academic Discord

    •

    Matthew Smith

    Academics disagree on the existence of racial bias in policing drug crimes

  • The Results Are In: Drug Tests Are Positive

    The Results Are In: Drug Tests Are Positive

    •

    Philip Sung

    Could pro-drug testing legislation benefit labor market outcomes for African American job-seekers?