Wednesday, March 29, 2023
  • Login
Metro News
  • Home
  • News
    • Sports
    • Science
  • Entertainment
    • Music
    • Fashion
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Health
    • Travel
  • Tech
    • Mobile
    • Gaming
    • Gadget
    • Apps
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Sports
    • Science
  • Entertainment
    • Music
    • Fashion
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Health
    • Travel
  • Tech
    • Mobile
    • Gaming
    • Gadget
    • Apps
No Result
View All Result
Metro News
No Result
View All Result
Home Tech

AI tool used to spot child abuse allegedly targets parents with disabilities

ALY by ALY
January 31, 2023
in Tech
0
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

AI tool used to spot child abuse allegedly targets parents with disabilities

Since 2016, social workers in a Pennsylvania county have relied on an algorithm to help them determine which child welfare calls warrant further investigation. Now, the Justice Department is reportedly scrutinizing the controversial family-screening tool over concerns that using the algorithm may be violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by allegedly discriminating against families with disabilities, the Associated Press reported, including families with mental health issues.

Three anonymous sources broke their confidentiality agreements with the Justice Department, confirming to AP that civil rights attorneys have been fielding complaints since last fall and have grown increasingly concerned about alleged biases built into the Allegheny County Family Screening Tool. While the full scope of the Justice Department’s alleged scrutiny is currently unknown, the Civil Rights Division is seemingly interested in learning more about how using the data-driven tool could potentially be hardening historical systemic biases against people with disabilities.

The county describes its predictive risk modeling tool as a preferred resource to reduce human error for social workers benefiting from the algorithm’s rapid analysis of “hundreds of data elements for each person involved in an allegation of child maltreatment.” That includes “data points tied to disabilities in children, parents, and other members of local households,” Allegheny County told AP. Those data points contribute to an overall risk score that helps determine if a child should be removed from their home.

Although the county told AP that social workers can override the tool’s recommendations and that the algorithm has been updated “several times” to remove disabilities-related data points, critics worry that the screening tool may still be automating discrimination. This is particularly concerning because the Pennsylvania algorithm has inspired similar tools used in California and Colorado, AP reported. Oregon stopped using its family-screening tool over similar concerns that its algorithm may be exacerbating racial biases in its child welfare data.

Advertisement

The Justice Department has not yet commented on its alleged interest in the tool, but AP reported that the department’s scrutiny could possibly turn a moral argument against using child welfare algorithms into a legal argument.

A University of Minnesota expert on child welfare and disabilities, Traci LaLiberte, told AP that it’s unusual for the Justice Department to get involved with child welfare issues. “It really has to rise to the level of pretty significant concern to dedicate time and get involved,” LaLiberte told AP.

Ars could not immediately reach developers of the algorithm or the Allegheny County Department of Human Services for comment, but a county spokesperson, Mark Bertolet, told AP that the agency was unaware of the Justice Department’s interest in its screening tool.

Problems with predicting child maltreatment

On its website, Allegheny County said that the family-screening tool was developed in 2016 to “enhance our child welfare call screening decision making process with the singular goal of improving child safety.” That year, the county reported that prior to using the algorithm, human error led child protective services to investigate 48 percent of the lowest-risk cases, while overlooking 27 percent of the highest-risk cases. A 2016 external ethical analysis supported the county’s use of the algorithm as an “inevitably imperfect” but a comparatively more accurate and transparent method for assessing risk rather than relying on clinical judgment alone.

“We reasoned that by using technology to gather and weigh all available pertinent information we could improve the basis for these critical decisions and reduce variability in staff decision-making,” the county said on its website, promising to continue to refine the model as more analysis of the tool was conducted.

Advertisement

Although the county told AP that risk scores alone never trigger investigations, the county website still says that “when the score is at the highest levels, meeting the threshold for ‘mandatory screen in,’ the allegations in a call must be investigated.” Because disability-related data points contribute to that score, critics suggest that families with disabilities are more likely to be targeted for investigations.

The same year that the family-screening tool was introduced, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation and the National Council on Disability released a toolkit to help parents with disabilities know their rights when fighting in the courts over child welfare concerns.

“For many of the 4.1 million parents with disabilities in the United States, courts have decided they aren’t good parents just because they have disabilities,” the organization wrote in the toolkit’s introduction. “In fact, as of 2016, 35 states still said that if you had a disability, you could lose your right to be a parent, even if you didn’t hurt or ignore your child.”

Allegheny County told AP that “it should come as no surprise that parents with disabilities… may also have a need for additional supports and services.” Neither the county’s ethical analysis nor its FAQ directly discusses how the tool could be disadvantaging these families, though.

Ars could not reach LaLiberte for additional comment, but she told AP that her research has also shown that parents with disabilities are already disproportionately targeted by the child welfare system. She suggested that incorporating disability-related data points into the algorithm is seemingly inappropriate because it directs social workers to consider “characteristics people can’t change,” instead of exclusively assessing problematic behavior.

Previous Post

Astounding aerial photos or amazing abstract art?

Next Post

After 10 years, HARD Summer announces grand return to Los Angeles county for 15th anniversary event

Next Post

After 10 years, HARD Summer announces grand return to Los Angeles county for 15th anniversary event

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

Damar Hamlin injury updates: Latest on Bills safety in critical condition in hospital

January 3, 2023
recalled-dried-plums-Alli-and-Rose.jpg

Corporate remembers dried plums from Costco retail outlets on account of lead contamination

February 25, 2022

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic

August 13, 2022

Walking Dead Recap, Season 11 Episode 22: Faith

November 7, 2022
21ukraine-briefing-excerpts2-facebookJumbo.jpg

Highlights From Putin’s Cope with on Breakaway Areas in Ukraine

0
stranger-of-paradise-difficulty.jpg

Stranger of Paradise goes to be higher than Elden Ring… on the subject of problem choices, no less than

0

Pamela Anderson Is ‘Killing It’ In Broadway Rehearsals For ‘Chicago’ – Hollywood Life

0

About 300 People Died in Bombing of Mariupol Theater, Officials Say

0

Moses Martin’s Testimony In Gwyneth Ski Trial – Hollywood Life

March 29, 2023

View More Than 300 Famous Sites Around the World in 3D With Landmarks

March 29, 2023

Learn about the benefits of choosing ERP system

March 29, 2023

The 9 best Blu-rays and 4K UHD releases of April 2023

March 29, 2023

Recent News

Moses Martin’s Testimony In Gwyneth Ski Trial – Hollywood Life

March 29, 2023

View More Than 300 Famous Sites Around the World in 3D With Landmarks

March 29, 2023

Learn about the benefits of choosing ERP system

March 29, 2023

The 9 best Blu-rays and 4K UHD releases of April 2023

March 29, 2023




Metro News

We bring you the Global News From All Over The World. Stay Tuned For Your Favorite Categories News 24x7.

Browse by Category

  • Apps
  • Crypto News
  • Crypto Trading
  • Entertainment
  • essay online
  • essay usa
  • Essay Writer Cheap
  • Fashion
  • FinTech
  • Food
  • Forex Handel
  • Gadget
  • Gaming
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Mobile
  • Music
  • News
  • pashka
  • Payday Loans
  • Porn Chat
  • Science
  • Software Development
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Бизнес Украина
  • Инвестиции
  • Новости Украины
  • Ремонт Автомобилей
  • Финансовые Новости
  • Форекс брокеры

Recent News

Moses Martin’s Testimony In Gwyneth Ski Trial – Hollywood Life

March 29, 2023

View More Than 300 Famous Sites Around the World in 3D With Landmarks

March 29, 2023

Learn about the benefits of choosing ERP system

March 29, 2023

The 9 best Blu-rays and 4K UHD releases of April 2023

March 29, 2023

© 2022 Metro News - Biggest Digital New Network.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Sports
    • Science
  • Entertainment
    • Music
    • Fashion
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Health
    • Travel
  • Tech
    • Mobile
    • Gaming
    • Gadget
    • Apps

© 2022 Metro News - Biggest Digital New Network.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Posting....
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?
x Logo: Shield Security
This Site Is Protected By
Shield Security →