Correctional Service Canada, which manages federal penitentiaries and institutions, awarded Accenture a $123,142 contract in February to try a product “designed to accelerate the development” of offender criminal profiles, according to a parliamentary filing. The Toronto Star first reported on the project; the agency told the outlet it’s exploring using AI to help staff review and organize information from other files during inmate intake. (The Logic, Toronto Star)

Talking point: The profile reports on which the agency is testing AI detail the risks associated with the prisoner and can influence which programs they access and when they are eligible for parole. AI tools used in the criminal justice system can create and worsen biased and discriminatory outcomes. The technology’s effectiveness rests in part on the quality of the data on which it’s trained and runs. An internal Correctional Service evaluation of its case management system published in April 2024 found that institutions received some information on time, but required documents and records were often missing, delayed or mislabelled.