The Rise of Big Data Policing: Surveillance, Race, and the Future of Law Enforcement Hardcover – October 3, 2017

The topics of big data policing and investigation analytics is not an easy one to tackle. Inevitably, the author runs the risk of treading too lightly in the important political and racial discussions, or focuses too intensely upon the perceived public safety benefits of the practice and ends up painting far too rosy an image. Mr. Ferguson has fallen into neither trap.The Rise of Big Data Policing is extremely well-written, well-rounded, and well-sourced. More importantly, the book does an excellent job of balancing the very real benefits of big data policing against the very real concerns of the citizens it is designed to benefit. Most importantly, it's interesting and timely.I operate a technology company serving the law enforcement market, and this book is now required reading for my employees. Highly recommended.

Title was kind of confusing, seems like it is about how to manage your big data but actually details how police forces in the U.S. and UK are using data to increase accuracy. Also details how not understanding the algorithm beyond the data can lead to propagating the same bias as in normal human to human interaction. As with most systems "GIGO" garbage in, garbage out. Andrew Ferguson does a great job in looking at all sides of the case, presenting arguments from the police, from the protesters and from the system designers. I'd add this one to my list if you have any interest in data policies or police control

The first-ever comprehensive overview, The Rise of Big Data Policing strikes an adept balance in covering both the promise and the peril of predictive policing. . . . Ferguson’s legal expertise serves well as he addresses the dilemma of translating predictions based on data into police remedies – and it serves well throughout the other varied topics of this multi-faceted, well-researched book.

Even if you only end up reading the first hundred pages or similar amount, this book will introduce you to enough good insights about how AI technology is supposed to work with our police forces vs. how it actually works, and what the pitfalls are that we as citizens all need to be aware of and call out.Do not trust that because it's "advanced computing" and works in other areas of your life like Amazon suggestions, that it's going to work well on the streets. It doesn't happen that way in many cases because the implementations are set up in such a way as they often (unintentionally or intentionally — can happen both ways) produce results that are biased against certain groups of people or certain neighborhoods, leading to heavy-handed police work in many cases.

Bought as a gift and they were pleased.

liked it a lot...

Meh. He's a reporter talking about data. Seems to have an agenda with a forgone conclusion, and writes a whole book to get there. I'm not saying that's some new thing. I'd do the same thing, given the right topic, but this is not just an objective "forecast" of where we might find ourselves in the future based on data, current trends, and evolving system capabilities.

Big Data brings a lot of challenges and benefits to business and the world is seemingly focussing on these presently, but equally law enforcement is engaged with big data although so-far it has escaped a lot of scrutiny, other than the age-old privacy and ‘Big Brother’-type warnings.This is a fascinating book that looks at Big Data from a law enforcement perspective, considering the impact and benefits it is bringing as well as examining the risks and areas that need to be considered. It can also be considered on a tangent, focussing on political, sociological and public interests too. Big Data is developing and what may be possible in the future can eclipse what is present today – this cannot be viewed in isolation. The author has done a great job in bringing all the issues together.A lot of Big Data-related initiatives are being coached as benefits by virtue of being race-neutral, wholly objective and not possibly discriminatory. Others may suggest that the ‘machines’ only react to the way they are processed and, of course, while it requires humans to do the last-leg bit of policing the ‘human imperative’ and its possible biases can be in play, with blind eyes deployed as necessary. Both elements can be valid, of course, although should the data and its processing be entirely free of bias, society may not be ready for some of the revelations that can emerge.The book takes a hard look at the technologies that can affect and alter the who, where, when and society is policed. It is written from a U.S.-perspective although the same issues will exist in other countries. It was very engaging, well-written, accessible and quite impartial. Excellent referencing is used throughout to aid future research and study.Some of the issues may be viewed as being alarming and you must hope that sufficient control can be deployed, yet many of the benefits can also be applauded and welcomed. With careful reading, consideration and implementation, it is quite possible that those interested in non-policing issues can derive other benefits for their own industry interests too.

A well documented book for surveillance and datA analysis, helped me with my project

This book is worth reading. Buy it and read it, but feel free to give it away to a friend. I think it is good, and we need it now, but I am not sure if it will stay relevant in ten years.