Just Algorithms

Christopher Slobogin holds the Milton Underwood Chair at Vanderbilt University Law School. He has authored or co-authored eight books and over 150 articles on criminal justice issues. He is one of the most heavily cited law professors in the criminal justice field and is the only law professor to have received Distinguished Scholar awards from both the American Psychology-Law Society and the American Board of Forensic Psychology.

• Preface; 1. Rationale: what risk algorithms can do for the criminal justice system; 2. Fit: why and when data about groups are relevant to individuals; 3. Validity: figuring out when risk algorithms are sufficiently accurate; 4. Fairness: avoiding unjust algorithms egalitarian injustice; 5. Structure: limiting retributivism and individual prevention; 6. Moving forward: the need for experimentation.

'In Just Algorithms, Christopher Slobogin – one of the most incisive criminal law scholars of his generation-makes plain how scientifically-valid risk assessment could transform the criminal justice system, from the pretrial detention of suspected offenders through the sentencing of convicted offenders. The transparent 'jurisprudence of risk' articulated here is a blueprint for thorough systemic reform.' John Monahan, PhD, Shannon Distinguished Professor of Law and Psychology, University of Virginia