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Last September, a group of academics and activists gathered at Princeton University to discuss the limits of artificial intelligence in public policy. The longest debate concerned some of the most sensitive decisions in the justice system, like whether to release a person on bail or parole. Many in attendance were queasy about using algorithms to determine prison stays — not least because crime data tends to reflect racial bias. But one conference goer in particular stood out for his skepticism.
His name was Bruce Reilly. The deputy director of a New Orleans organization called VOTE, which advocates for the formerly incarcerated, Mr. Reilly is a minor celebrity in the field. He was a sounding board for the leader of the recent Florida ballot campaign that restored voting rights to up to 1.4 million former felons, and helped lead similar initiatives in Rhode Island and Louisiana. Mr. Reilly, 45, has playful eyes, weathered skin and a boyish voice, and at Princeton, he wore a dark blazer that did not appear to be his natural uniform. Though it was barely midmorning, his shirt was already threatening to decamp from his pants as he turned to address a Princeton postdoctoral researcher sitting next to him.
"Statistically," Mr. Reilly told her, "the safest person to let out of prison is a murderer." The academic, Madelyn Sanfilippo, screwed up her face in apparent disbelief. "You seem like a person who cares about statistics," Mr. Reilly continued, arguing that people convicted of lesser crimes often cycle in and out of prison, while someone serving a long sentence for murder has typically matured out of crime by the time he is released.
"That makes sense," Ms. Sanfilippo said, warming to the claim. They talked amiably for a few more minutes. When they were done, Mr. Reilly turned and whispered in my ear: "She has no idea."
Related: Virginia Court Overturns Order That Restored Voting Rights to Felons
Florida Voting Rights Restoration Process Found Unconstitutional
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Thursday February 21 2019, @03:34AM (6 children)
Well, there is the obvious. Prisons make money for people whose ancestors were probably slave owners.
Perhaps a little less obvious, prisons help to destroy the nuclear family.
But, prison is also a weapon for the cause of disenfranchisement. If you don't want a group of people to vote, you convict them, and send them to prison, then deny them the right to vote if/when you set them free.
I was actually told all of that many years ago, but it didn't soak in then. Then, we had a rash of firearms laws convictions, where people had broken various state laws about weapons. That's when it sank in that gun owners and second amendment supporters were being targeted for disenfranchisement. That pretty much blew over, but disenfranchisement is still a tool in the ruling class' armory.
Socialists and fascists alike love their prisons!!
(Score: 1, Troll) by Azuma Hazuki on Thursday February 21 2019, @07:00AM (4 children)
Christ, for the first three lines I thought you were actually going to say something reasonable, and then...nope. You're turning into a caricature of yourself, you know that?
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2, Troll) by Runaway1956 on Thursday February 21 2019, @02:44PM (3 children)
On a few rare occassions, you've posted that I said something reasonable. I immediately looked back, and double checked. If 'Zumi thinks it's reasonable, there's a problem.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Thursday February 21 2019, @09:49PM (2 children)
Oh, hell, even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Even the goddamn Nazis had anti-smoking and environmentalism campaigns. Just means some things are so obvious even the aforementioned goddamn Nazis can figure them out. You, for some reason, can't. This is...not a favorable comparison.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 0, Troll) by PlasticCogLiquid on Friday February 22 2019, @01:30AM (1 child)
I specifically look for Runaway, he's a regular guy with insightful comments based from life experience. You just sound like a bitch that hates on anyone you disagree with, liberal style.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Friday February 22 2019, @05:04AM
I thought that about him too until I started cataloguing the things he actually says. If you have the intellectual honesty (who the fuck am I kidding, with that last sentence you've already proven you don't) you can go looking for my journal entry titled something like "Runaway has hit peak crazy" and you'll get a glimpse of what the man actually is in the dark.
Then again, considering how you ended this post, it sounds like you and him are birds of a feather. Oh well, no skin off my nose; there will be plenty of room for you lot in hell.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 21 2019, @02:21PM
I agree that given current climate it is fairlu easy to disenfranchise gun owners. Every year in some shithole states there is a new law.that restricts gun ownership in obtuse fashion, is applied to arms purchased retroactively (unlike most federal laws) and requires active vigilance not to run afoal of it.