CUSP-GX 8005 Data Driven Methods for Policy Evaluation

3 Credits

The growing use of data-centric technologies is transforming many aspects of public policy in the United States. These technologies affect the scale and nature of data that can be collected, enabling new approaches for evaluating policies both retrospectively and prospectively; for detecting discriminatory practices; and for auditing and designing “fair” algorithmic systems, among other applications. While modern computational and statistical methods offer the promise of increased efficiency, equity, and transparency, their use also raises complex legal, social, and ethical questions. In this course, we will discuss the use of such methods in a variety of applications, focusing on examples from criminal justice, and will examine the relationships between law, public policy, and data.