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The department’s research, development and evaluation arm will use the information as it puts together a report on AI in the criminal justice system due later this year.

Department of Justice, DOJ
(Shane T. McCoy / U.S. Marshals / Flickr)

The Justice Department’s National Institute of Justice is looking for public input on the use of artificial intelligence in the criminal system.

In a document posted for public inspection on the Federal Register Wednesday, the research, development and evaluation arm of the department said it’s seeking feedback to “inform a report that addresses the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the criminal justice system.” Those comments are due 30 days after the document is published.

That report is among the actions intended to strengthen AI and civil rights that President Joe Biden included in his October 2023 executive order on the technology. According to the order, its aim is to “promote the equitable treatment of individuals and adhere to the Federal Government’s fundamental obligation to ensure fair and impartial justice for all.”

Ultimately, the report is required to address the use of the technology throughout the criminal justice system — from sentencing and parole to policing surveillance and crime forecasting — as well as identify areas where AI could benefit law enforcement, outline recommended best practices, and make recommendations to the White House on additional actions. 

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The DOJ must also work with the Homeland Security secretary and the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy on that report, and it’s due 365 days after the order was issued.

Madison Alder

Written by Madison Alder

Madison Alder is a reporter for FedScoop in Washington, D.C., covering government technology. Her reporting has included tracking government uses of artificial intelligence and monitoring changes in federal contracting. She’s broadly interested in issues involving health, law, and data. Before joining FedScoop, Madison was a reporter at Bloomberg Law where she covered several beats, including the federal judiciary, health policy, and employee benefits. A west-coaster at heart, Madison is originally from Seattle and is a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

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