I was just reading an article on the use of data analytics to determine the sentences meted out to offenders in certain parts of the US. Criminal justice systems there use software models to predict the chances of the individual being a repeat offender and to subsequently suggest the severity of the sentence. Models can take into account background data of individuals such as criminal and employment history, age, gender, education, finances, family background, and residence (there are countless pros and cons to the method, but that’s an epic story in itself… ).
The above article brought to mind various ways in which data analytics could be used in connection with society:
- Predict which children are likely to be scholastic achievers and put them in an advanced learning stream
- Predict which high school seniors and college freshmen are likely to become successful entrepreneurs and offer them early funding
- Predict which employees are likely to be effective managers and promote them early
- Predict which air traffic controllers are likely to make stress-related mistakes and encourage them to take vacations at the right time
There are clearly countless other ways in which data-driven predictions can improve our quality of life. Do chime in with your suggestions using the comments box on this page!
