Horizon Scanning

Much remains unknown about the implications of camera surveillance systems, equipped with facial recognition technology and artificial intelligence tools regarding the privacy of residents of public housing and the impacts algorithmic discrimination has on these residents. Research reveals three chief concerns with these camera surveillance systems: imprecision, privacy issues, and negative effects on marginalized communities. This has led advocates and legislators to call for one of two solutions—banning this technology in public housing or enacting and enforcing more regulations.

This is a one page version of the white paper: "Surveillance Technology in Public Housing: Proliferation, Consequences, and Recommendations."

There is a strong policy argument for interventions to keep impaired
motorists off the road and for law enforcement to test for drugs like they do for alcohol. Portable handheld devices for roadside drug testing, called oral fluid tests, claim to have advantages like being non-invasive and providing timely results. Responsible adoption of oral fluid tests requires industry standards, confirmatory testing, and additional research.

Predictive policing is the application of analytical software to identify likely targets for police intervention and prevent crime. The last 8–10 years has brought the application of analytical tools and artificial intelligence to enable such predictions based on large sets of data. Numerous advocacy groups and legal challenges have called attention to the dangers of predictive policing in terms of reproduction of biases, civil rights violations, and lack of transparency.

This memo details the historical background and development of robotic dog technology, the deployment and use of which has recently grown within a number of U.S. law enforcement agencies. This technology raises core concerns around the trend of deploying mobile cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) to surveil and control the public.

Law enforcement agencies in Michigan are increasingly using drones as a tool for purposes including surveillance, crime prevention, and search and rescue operations. Drones capture images and videos of individuals without their consent or knowledge, necessitating clear legislation and regulations to safeguard civil liberties.

Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are a surveillance technology that can alert law enforcement about vehicle locations in real-time or provide information on past movements. In recent years, growing numbers of public and private entities have begun using ALPRs, moving some communities to implement policies aimed at limiting the potential damage posed by the technology. This memo analyzes legal and policy concerns related to the technology.

Acoustic gun detection systems (AGDS) such as ShotSpotter are a law enforcement technology designed to detect gunshot sounds and notify police of the event and location in close to real time. The technology’s accuracy, effectiveness, cost, and systemic biases raise serious concerns. Communities concerned with local law enforcement’s purchase and deployment of AGDS can advocate for a variety of policy responses including: a ban, moratorium, community oversight, or technology assessment & deliberative democracy.