Calendrier du 12 septembre 2023
Applied Economics Lunch Seminar
Du 12/09/2023 de 12:30 à 13:30
Salle R2.21
HULL Peter (Brown University)
Building Non-Discriminatory Algorithms in Selected Data
écrit avec David Arnold and Will Dobbie
We develop new quasi-experimental tools to understand and build non-discriminatory algorithms when the outcome of interest is only selectively observed. We apply these tools in the pretrial context, where conventional algorithms are built using the pretrial misconduct outcomes of released defendants. Algorithmic discrimination arises in this setting when the algorithmic inputs are systematically different for white and Black defendants with similar pretrial misconduct potential. We show how these conditional input disparities can be measured and eliminated using the quasi-random assignment of bail judges, thereby eliminating algorithmic discrimination. In New York City data, our new non-discriminatory algorithm also generates more accurate predictions by correcting for the selective observability of pretrial misconduct outcomes.