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A recent investigation by ProPublica has shed light on the controversial use of the TIGER (Targeted Interventions to Greater Enhance Re-entry) program by the Louisiana government. This program, originally crafted by Louisiana State University with the intention of reducing repeat offenses, now plays a significant role in determining whether inmates are granted parole based solely on a risk assessment score. This score evaluates factors from an individual’s life prior to incarceration, including work background, past criminal records, and the age at which they were first arrested.
Interviews with inmates have revealed troubling instances where parole hearings were unexpectedly suspended after the computed TIGER score indicated a “moderate risk” for recidivism. Critics argue that the algorithm fails to consider an inmate’s conduct and rehabilitation efforts while in prison, an oversight that many believe disproportionately affects certain racial and demographic groups. Current data from the Louisiana Department of Corrections indicates that around half of the state’s prison population, which totals approximately 13,000 individuals, would be categorized as moderate or high risk under this evaluation system.
Calvin Alexander, a 70-year-old inmate with partial blindness who has spent two decades behind bars, is one of those impacted. Throughout his time in prison, he has engaged in various rehabilitation programs including drug addiction treatment and anger management, yet his clean disciplinary record has not factored into the algorithm’s assessment. “People in jail have … lost hope in being able to do anything to reduce their time,” Alexander shared with ProPublica.
The use of algorithms for parole decisions is not only permitted in Louisiana but forms a key aspect of Republican Governor Jeff Landry’s broader initiative against granting parole. Last year, Landry enacted legislation that eliminates parole for inmates convicted of crimes after August 1st, 2024, marking a significant shift in state policy and making Louisiana the first state in nearly a quarter-century to abolish parole. In addition, a new law mandates that currently incarcerated individuals may only receive parole if they meet a “low risk” designation as determined by the algorithm.
Source
www.theverge.com