4 chapters across the catalog
A report on predictive algorithms used in bail decisions reveals a significant bias against black defendants, who are twice as likely to be flagged as high-risk re-offenders. The hosts discuss how these "Minority Report" style systems allow the state to dial violence up or down by controlling who is on the street. They suggest that the release of certain individuals in Kenosha may have been a manual version of this algorithmic control.
Michael Bloomberg is described as a "walking-talking algorithm" who prioritized statistical outcomes over constitutional rights, even suggesting that white people were stopped too frequently relative to crime data. A hypothetical comparison is made to white-collar crime, noting that the SEC does not use similar aggressive tactics against Wall Street bankers. The discussion links heavy policing in minority neighborhoods to the eventual goal of increasing property values through gentrification.
A 2007 Dateline NBC segment shows civil rights attorneys and activists failing implicit association tests, often showing a preference for white faces despite their professional backgrounds. The results suggest that even black participants can show a preference for whiteness due to media influence. The experiment is framed as a "labyrinth" where no participant can escape being labeled with some form of bias.
Adam Curry shares his personal bias, recounting his time visiting NYPD widows and orphans with Joan Jett, which gave him a sympathetic view of the challenges officers face. Mo counters with the perspective of Black Americans, who may see the police department as a place where "bad actors" can legally harass minorities. They discuss the mental toll of the job and how it can lead to jaded attitudes similar to soldiers in a war zone.
