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Weapons of Math Destruction

Page 22

by Cathy O'Neil


  including Idaho: Center for Sentencing Initiatives, Research Division, National Center for State Courts, “Use of Risk and Needs Assessment Information at Sentencing: 7th Judicial District, Idaho,” December 2013, accessed January 8, 2016, www.​ncsc.​org/​~/​media/​Microsites/​Files/​CSI/​RNA%​20Brief%​20-​%​207th%​20Judicial%​20District%​20ID%​20csi.​ashx.

  and Colorado: Ibid.

  at least twenty-four of them: LSI–R is used in the following twenty-four states, according to these documents (mostly published by the corresponding departments of corrections); all links accessed January 13, 2016.

  Alaska, www.​correct.​state.​ak.​us/​pnp/​pdf/​902.​03.​pdf

  Colorado, www.​doc.​state.​co.​us/​sites/​default/​files/​phase_​ii.​pdf

  Connecticut, www.​ct.​gov/​opm/​lib/​opm/​cjppd/​cjabout/​mainnav/​risk_​assessment_​strategy.​pdf

  Delaware, https://​ltgov.​delaware.​gov/​taskforces/​djrtf/​DJRTFVOP​AppendixBFINAL.​pdf

  Hawaii, http://​ag.​hawaii.​gov/​cpja/​files/​2013/​01/​AH-​UH-​Mainland-​Prison-​Study-​2011.​pdf

  Idaho, http://​sentencing.​isc.​idaho.​gov/

  Illinois, www.​illinoiscourts.​gov/​supremecourt/​annualreport/​2012/​adminsumm/​administrative.​pdf

  Indiana, http://​www.​in.​gov/​idoc/​files/​CEBP_​long_​report(1).​pdf and http://​indianacourts.​us/​times/​2011/​04/​risk-​assessment/

  Iowa, http://​publications.​iowa.​gov/​13104/

  Kansas, www.​doc.​ks.​gov/​kdoc-​policies/​AdultIMPP/​chapter-​14/​14-​111a/​view

  Maine, www.​bja.​gov/​Funding/​14SmartSup-​MDOCapp.​pdf

  Maryland, www.​justicepolicy.​org/​images/​upload/​09-​03_​rpt_​mdparole_​ac-​md-​ps-​rd.​pdf

  Minnesota, www.​doc.​state.​mn.​us/​DocPolicy2/​html/​DPW_​Display_​TOC.​asp?​Opt=​203.​015.​htm

  Nebraska, www.​uc.​edu/​content/​dam/​uc/​ccjr/​docs/​vitas/​VITA10_​PVV.​pdf

  Nevada, www.​leg.​state.​nv.​us/​74th/​Exhibits/​Assembly/​JUD/​AJUD77H.​pdf

  New Hampshire, www.​nh.​gov/​nhdoc/​policies/​documents/​6-​33.​pdf

  North Carolina, www.​ncids.​org/​Reports%​20&%​20Data/​Latest%​20Releases/​Sentencing​ServicesCont​Review3-​1-​10.​pdf

  North Dakota, www.​nd.​gov/​docr/​adult/​docs/​DOCR%​20Programs%​20Reference%​20Guide%​20(Rev.%​204-​14).​pdf

  Oklahoma, www.​ok.​gov/​doc/​documents/​LSI-R%​20White%​20Paper.​pdf

  Pennsylvania, http://​pacrimestats.​info/​PCCDReports/​Related​Publications/​Publications/​Publications/​Pennsylvania%​20Board%​20of%​20Probation%​20and%​20Parole/​Ctr%​20for%​20Effective%​20Public%​20Policy.​pdf

  Rhode Island, www.​doc.​ri.​gov/​administration/​planning/​docs/​LSINewsletter​FINAL.​pdf

  South Dakota, https://​doc.​sd.​gov/​documents/​about/​policies/​LSI-​R%​20Assessment%​20and%​20Case%​20Planning.​pdf

  Utah, http://​ucjc.​utah.​edu/​wp-​content/​uploads/​LSI-​Implementation-​Report-​final.​pdf

  Washington, http://​static.​nicic.​gov/​Library/​019033.​pdf

  CHAPTER 2

  Alberto Ramirez, who made $14,000 a year: Carol Lloyd, “Impossible Loan Turns Dream Home into Nightmare,” SFGate, April 15, 2007, www.​sfgate.​com/​business/​article/​Impossible-​loan-​turns-​dream-​home-​into-​nightmare-​2601880.​php.

  Baltimore officials charged Wells Fargo: Michael Powell, “Bank Accused of Pushing Mortgage Deals on Blacks,” New York Times, June 6, 2009, www.​nytimes.​com/​2009/​06/​07/​us/​07baltimore.​html.

  a former bank loan officer, Beth Jacobson: Ibid.

  71 percent of them were in largely African American neighborhoods: Ibid.

  Wells Fargo settled the suit: Luke Broadwater, “Wells Fargo Agrees to Pay $175M Settlement in Pricing Discrimination Suit,” Baltimore Sun, July 12, 2012, http://​articles.​baltimoresun.​com/​2012-​07-​12/​news/​bs-​md-​ci-​wells-​fargo-​20120712_​1_​mike-​heid-​wells-​fargo-​home-​mortgage-​subprime-​mortgages.

  CHAPTER 3

  the staff at U.S. News: Robert Morse, “The Birth of the College Rankings,” U.S. News, May 16, 2008, www.​usnews.​com/​news/​national/​articles/​2008/​05/​16/​birth-​the-​of-​college-​rankings.

  In the other quarter: Julie Rawe, “A Better Way to Rank Colleges?” Time, June 20, 2007, http://​content.​time.​com/​time/​nation/​article/​0,8599,​1635326,​00.​html.

  Baylor University paid the fee: Sara Rimer, “Baylor Rewards Freshmen Who Retake SAT,” New York Times, October 14, 2008, www.​nytimes.​com/​2008/​10/​15/​education/​15baylor.​html.

  including Bucknell University: Nick Anderson, “Five Colleges Misreported Data to U.S. News, Raising Concerns About Rankings, Reputation,” Washington Post, February 6, 2013, www.​washington​post.​com/​local/​education/​five-​colleges-​misreported-​data-​to-​us-​news-​raising-​concerns-​about-​rankings-​reputation/​2013/​02/​06/​cb437876-​6b17-​11e2-​af53-​7b2b2a7510a8_​story.​html.

  And Iona College: Robert Morse, “Iona College Admits to Inflating Rankings Data for 9 Years,” U.S. News, December 1, 2011, www.​usnews.​com/​education/​blogs/​college-​rankings-​blog/​2011/​12/​01/​iona-​college-​admits-​to-​inflating-​rankings-​data-​for-​9-​years.

  was tumbling in the U.S. News ranking: Logan Wilson, “University Drops in Ranking for the Third Time in a Row,” TCU 360, September 4, 2008, www.​tcu360.​com/​story/​university-​drops-​in-​ranking-​for-​third-​time-​in-​a-​row-​12287643/.

  Raymond Brown, the dean: Ibid.

  TCU launched a $250 million fund-raising drive: TCUleads, “U.S. News & World Report Rankings Show Improvement for TCU,” Texas Christian University, September 9, 2014, accessed January 9, 2016, http://​newsevents.​tcu.​edu/​stories/​u-​s-​news-​world-​report-​rankings-​show-​improvement-​for-​tcu/.

  applications to BC: Sean Silverthorne, “The Flutie Effect: How Athletic Success Boosts College Applications,” Forbes, April 29, 2013, www.​forbes.​com/​sites/​hbsworking​knowledge/​2013/​04/​29/​the-​flutie-​effect-​how-​athletic-​success-​boosts-​college-​applications/.

  Its rank in the U.S. News list climbed: TCUleads, “U.S. News & World Report Rankings.”

  the cost of higher education rose: Michelle Jamrisko and Ilan Kolet, “College Costs Surge 500% in U.S. Since 1985: Chart of the Day,” Bloomberg Business, August 26, 2013, www.​bloomberg.​com/​news/​articles/​2013-​08-​26/​college-​costs-​surge-​500-​in-​u-​s-​since-​1985-​chart-​of-​the-​day.

  “any other characteristic you desire”: Ruffalo Noel Levitz, “ForecastPlus for Student Recruitment™,” accessed January 9, 2016, www.​ruffalonl.​com/​enrollment-​management/​enrollment-​marketing-​services-​to-​target-​and-​recruit-​students/​recruitment-​technologies/​forecast-​plus-​student-​recruitment-​predictive-​modeling.

  mathematics department at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz University: Megan Messerly, “Citations for Sale,” Daily Californian, December 5, 2014, www.​dailycal.​org/​2014/​12/​05/​citations-​sale/.

  authorities began to suspect: Malcolm Moore, “Riot after Chinese Teachers Try to Stop Pupils Cheating,” Telegraph, June 20, 2013, www.​telegraph.​co.​uk/​news/​worldnews/​asia/​china/​10132391/​Riot-​after-​Chinese-​teachers-​try-​to-​stop-​pupils-​cheating.​html.

  a company called Top Tier Admissions: Application Boot Camp, accessed January 9, 2016, www.​toptiera​dmissions.​com/​boot-​camp/​ap
plication-​boot-​camp/.

  Ma, founder of ThinkTank Learning: Peter Waldman, “How to Get into an Ivy League College—Guaranteed,” Bloomberg BusinessWeek, September 4, 2014, www.​bloomberg.​com/​news/​articles/​2014-​09-​04/​how-​to-​get-​into-​an-​ivy-​league-​college-​guaranteed.

  President Obama suggested: Li Zhou, “Obama’s New College Scorecard Flips the Focus of Rankings,” Atlantic Monthly, September 15, 2015, www.​theatlantic.​com/​education/​archive/​2015/​09/​obamas-​new-​college-​scorecard-​flips-​the-​focus-​of-​rankings/​405379/.

  A New York Times report in 2011: David Segal, “Is Law School a Losing Game?,” New York Times, January 8, 2011, www.​nytimes.​com/2011/​01/​09/​business/​09law.​html.

  CHAPTER 4

  $50 million on Google ads: Meghan Kelly, “96 Percent of Google’s Revenue Is Advertising, Who Buys It?,” Venture Beat, January 29, 2012, http://​venturebeat.​com/​2012/​01/​29/​google-​advertising/.

  Between 2004 and 2014, for-profit enrollment tripled: David Deming, Claudia Goldin, and Lawrence Katz, “For-Profit Colleges,” Postsecondary Education in the United States 23 (Spring 2013): 137–63, http://​futureofchildren.​org/​futureofchildren/​publications/​journals/​article/​index.​xml?​journalid=​79&articleid=​584.

  the industry now accounts for 11 percent: Emily Jane Fox, “White House Crackdown on For-Profit Colleges Begins Today,” CNN, July 1, 2015, http://​money.​cnn.​com/​2015/​07/​01/​pf/​college/​for-​profit-​colleges-​debt/.

  had more than eighty thousand students: Melody Peterson, “State Sues Corinthian Colleges, Citing ‘Predatory’ Tactics,” Orange County Register, October 10, 2013, www.​ocregister.​com/​articles/​company-​530539-​students-​corinthian.​html.

  The complaint pointed out: Corinthian Colleges Inc., “California Attorney General Complaint Allegations vs. Facts,” accessed January 9, 2016, http://​files.​shareholder.​com/​downloads/​COCO/​32835326​02x0x709108/​11BC55FD-​B86F-​45DB-​B082-​5C6AEB6D8D30/​CCi_​Response_​to_​California_​Attorney_​General_​Lawsuit.​pdf.

  the Obama administration put a hold: Review & Outlook, “Obama’s Corinthian Kill, Review and Outlook,” Wall Street Journal, July 15 2014, www.​wsj.​com/​articles/​obamas-​corinthian-​kill-​1406327662.

  In mid-2015: Shahien Nasiripour, “Corinthian Colleges Files for Bankruptcy,” Huffington Post, May 4, 2015, www.​huffingtonpost.​com/​2015/​05/​04/​corinthian-​colleges-​bankruptcy_​n_​7205344.​html.

  “unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent”: Megan Woolhouse, “For-Profit Colleges Get Harsh Grades by Former Students,” Boston Globe, October 20, 2014, www.​bostonglobe.​com/​business/​2014/​10/​19/​high-​debt-​unfulfilled-​dreams/​KuDKIWiyRO​5E5HDpRpSLRO/​story.​html.

  A 2012 Senate committee report: Sheryl Harris, “For-Profit Colleges Provide Lesson in Strong-Arm Sales: Plain Dealing,” cleveland.​com, August 4, 2012, www.​cleveland.​com/​consumeraffairs/​index.​ssf/​2012/​08/​for-​profit_​colleges_​provide_​le.​html.

  “We deal with people that live in the moment”: David Halperin, “What College Was Michael Brown About to Attend?,” Huffington Post, August 26, 2014, www.​huffingtonpost.​com/​davidhalperin/​what-​college-​was-​michael_​b_​5719731.​html.

  recruiting team at the ITT Technical Institute: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, “For-Profit Higher Education: The Failure to Safeguard the Federal Investment and Ensure Student Success,” Senate Committee Print, S. Prt. 112-37, vol. 1, July 30, 2012, p. 60, www.​gpo.​gov/​fdsys/​granule/​CPRT-​112SPRT​74931/​CPRT-​112SPRT74931/​content-​detail.​html.

  spent $120 million annually: Screenshot by author from a LinkedIn advertisement for a position in online marketing.

  “Obama Asks Moms”: Sharona Coutts, “Bogus ‘Obama Mom’ Grants Lure Students,” ProPublica, July 23, 2010, www.​propublica.​org/​article/​bogus-+obama-+mom-+grants-+lure-+students.

  colleges will pay as much as $150 each: Jenna Leventoff, “For-Profit Colleges Under Scrutiny for Targeting Vulnerable Students,” Equal Future, May 6, 2015, www.​equalfuture.+us/+2015/+05/+06/+for-+profit-+colleges-+targeting-+vulnerable-+students/.

  Salt Lake City–based Neutron Interactive: David Halperin, “More Scam Websites to Lure the Poor to For-Profit Colleges,” Huffington Post, November 13, 2014, www.​huffingtonpost.+com/+davidhalperin/+more-+scam-+websites-+to-+lur_+b_+6151650.+html.

  Each one was worth as much as $85: Coutts, “Bogus ‘Obama Mom.’ ”

  US Government Accountability Office report: US Government Accountability Office, “For-Profit Colleges: Undercover Testing Finds Colleges Encouraged Fraud and Engaged in Deceptive and Questionable Marketing Practices,” GAO-10-948T, August 4, 2010, www.​gao.+gov/+products/+GAO-+10-+948T.

  According to Mara Tucker: Mara Tucker, in-person interview by author, June 15, 2015.

  Cassie Magesis, another readiness counselor: Cassie Magesis, phone interview by author, June 16, 2015.

  spent more than a billion dollars: Howard Hotson, “Short Cuts,” London Review of Books, June 2, 2011, www.​lrb.+co.+uk/+v33/+n11/+howard-+hotson/+short-+cuts.

  Portland Community College: Mike Dang, “For-Profit Colleges Still Terrible,” Billfold, August 1, 2012, https://+thebillfold.+com/+for-+profit-+colleges-+still-+terrible-+7e3b5bd3442b#.+4ti2e2y80.

  the so-called 90-10 rule: Rebecca Schuman, “ ‘This Is Your Money’ Why For-Profit Colleges Are the Real Welfare Queens,” Slate, June 4, 2015, www.​slate.+com/+articles/+life/+education/+2015/+06/+for_+profit_+colleges_+and_+federal_+aid_+they_+get_+more_+than_+90_+percent_+of_+their.+html.

  Corinthian Colleges amounted to $3.5 billion: Tamar Lewin, “Government to Forgive Student Loans at Corinthian Colleges,” New York Times, June 8, 2015, www.​nytimes.+com/+2015/+06/+09/+education/+us-+to-+forgive-+federal-+loans-+of-+corinthian-+college-+students.+html.

  investigators at CALDER/American Institutes: Rajeev Darolia, Cory Koedel, Paco Martorell, Katie Wilson, and Francisco Perez-Arce, “Do Employers Prefer Workers Who Attend For-Profit Colleges? Evidence from a Field Experiment,” RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, 2014, accessed January 9, 2016, www.​rand.+org/+pubs/+working_+papers/+WR1054.+html.

  The top 20 percent of the population: William Domhoff, “Wealth, Income, and Power,” Who Rules America?, first posted September 2005, updated February 2013, accessed January 9, 2016, http://​whorulesamerica.+net/+power/+wealth.+html.

  Gregory W. Cappelli: Josh Harkinson, “The Nation’s 10 Most Overpaid CEOs,” Mother Jones, July 12, 2012, www.​motherjones.+com/+politics/+2012/+07/+executive-+pay-+america-+top-+10-+overpaid-+ceo.

  interest rates that average 574 percent: Gwen Ifill and Andrew Schmertz, “Fighting the Debt Trap of Triple-Digit Interest Rate Payday Loads,” PBS Newshour, January 6, 2016, www.​pbs.+org/+newshour/+bb/+fighting-+the-+debt-+trap-+of-+triple-+digit-+interest-+rate-+payday-+loans/.

  In 2015, the Federal Trade Commission: Lindsay Wise, “Feds Charge Data Broker with Selling Consumer Info to Scammers,” McClatchyDC, August 12, 2015, www.​mcclatchydc.+com/+news/+nation-+world/+national/+article30862680.+html.

  CHAPTER 5

  The small city of Reading: Rob Engle, “The Guilded [sic] Age in Reading Pennsylvania,” Historical Review of Berks County, Summer 2005, www.​berkshistory.+org/+multimedia/+articles/+the-+guilded-+age-+in-+reading-+pennsylvania/.

  the highest poverty rate: Sabrina Tavernise, “Reading, Pa., Knew It Was Poor. Now It Knows Just How Poor,” New York Times, September 26, 2011, www.​nytimes.+com/+2011/+09/+27/+us/+reading-+pa-+tops-+list-+poverty-+list-+census-+shows.+html.

  crime prediction software made by PredPol: Steven Henshaw, “Homicides in Reading Rise, Other Crimes Down, Police Say,” Reading Eagle, August 30, 2015, www.​readingeagle.+com/+news/+article/+homicides-+in-+reading-+rise-+other-+crimes-
+down-+police-+say.

  Philadelphia police are using a local product: Juliana Reyes, “Philly Police Will Be First Big City Cops to Use Azavea’s Crime Predicting Software,” Technically Philly, November 7, 2013, http://​technical.+ly/+philly/+2013/+11/+07/+azavea-+philly-+police-+crime-+prediction-+software/.

  based on seismic software: Nate Berg, “Predicting Crime, LAPD-Style,” Guardian, June 25, 2014, www.​theguardian.+com/+cities/+2014/+jun/+25/+predicting-+crime-+lapd-+los-+angeles-+police-+data-+analysis-+algorithm-+minority-+report.

  Jeffrey Brantingham, the UCLA anthropology professor: Jeff Brantingham, PredPol’s chief of research and development, phone interview by author, February 3, 2015.

  criminologist named George Kelling: George Kelling and James Wilson, “Broken Windows: The Police and Neighborhood Safety,” Atlantic Monthly, March 1982, www.​theatlantic.​com/​magazine/​archive/​1982/​03/​broken-​windows/​304465/.

  zero-tolerance campaigns: Judith Greene, “Zero Tolerance: A Case Study of Police Policies and Practices in New York City,” Crime and Delinquency 45 (April 1999): 171–87, doi:10.1177/​0011128799045 002001.

  Freakonomics: Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner, Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (New York: William Morrow, 2005).

  police in the British city of Kent: Berg, “Predicting Crime, LAPD-Style.”

  PredPol squares were ten times as efficient: Kent Police, “PredPol Operational Review,” 2014, www.​statewatch.​org/​docbin/​uk-​2014-​kent-​police-​predpol-​op-​review.​pdf.

  the practice had drastically increased: Jeffrey Bellin, “The Inverse Relationship between the Constitutionality and Effectiveness of New York City ‘Stop and Frisk,’ ” Boston University Law Review 94 (May 6, 2014): 1495, William and Mary Law School Research Paper No. 09-274, http://​ssrn.​com/​abstract=​2413935.

 

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