Disclaimer: This project idea is the intellectual property of the Minimizing R.I.Team.
Team: Minimizing R. I. (Second Place Winner, 2018)
Team Members: Carlos Bibiloni, Sohail Anwar, Christian Collazo
Link to the Business Case Analysis.
Click here to ‘watch this team presenting at the Final Presentation of the CUNY-IBM Watson Competition 2018’.
Project Overview – In New York state (NYS), approximately 43% of the released convicts end up back in prison. Numerous studies have determined that education provides true reform; recidivism rates were reduced by 40% in the study groups that were educated. Put another way, NYS can see a 17% rate rather than a 43% rate of recidivism via education. We have focused on how technology can enable prerelease education in the months just before a prisoner is released. Our thesis is that this is a key period during a prisoner’s sentence that provides ample opportunity for improvement with cognitive technology. If improved, we are confident that we can reduce recidivism both in New York City and New York State.
Approach to address problem – Our IBM Artificial Intelligence based solution, Watson Release on Recognizance (RoR) would provide an efficient, interactive experience (with Watson Assistant) to guide the prisoners on the options at this critical juncture. This interface would provide personalization by integrating with existing prison management systems and be based on data detailing the rehabilitation programs available to all inmates, powered by Watson Discovery. The prisoner would be able to request information regarding their options and the system would provide a list of the best options in ranked order (Watson Conversation). An inmate will be advised of all the programs available to them, to the level of the most minute details if they should request them.
Impacts and Benefits – Watson RoR as envisioned has high potential to reduce recidivism by providing inmates with a convenient, intuitive, and user-friendly interface with AI-enhancements reducing the work that needs to be done. Rather than thinking about what programs are available to them, prisoners using Watson RoR would be freed to think of how to comply for success with their informed choice of rehabilitation.