How Community Members in Ramsey County Stopped a Big-Data Plan from Flagging Students as At-Risk

Author: Carrie Pomeroy

Publisher: Twin Cities Daily Planet

Publication Year: 2019

Summary: The following article describes how in Minnesota, community members disapproved of an initiative to share data relating to child welfare, education, the juvenile justice system with the National Council on Crime and Delinquency. They were attempting to identify “early risk factors” associated with “later criminal justice system involvement” to provide early help to flagged children and young adults. This is a huge breach of privacy for community members and the data is coming from institutions with a “documented history of punishing children of color more severely”. Where and how the data is collected will determine potential bias that data scientists should be aware of. We should also be aware how the data analysis will impact the community it is collect on (being “anti-racist”).