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Hauptverfasser: Huynh, Benjamin Q., Chin, Elizabeth T., Koenecke, Allison, Ouyang, Derek, Ho, Daniel E., Kiang, Mathew V., Rehkopf, David H.
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2023
Schlagworte:
Online-Zugang:https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.05603
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author Huynh, Benjamin Q.
Chin, Elizabeth T.
Koenecke, Allison
Ouyang, Derek
Ho, Daniel E.
Kiang, Mathew V.
Rehkopf, David H.
author_facet Huynh, Benjamin Q.
Chin, Elizabeth T.
Koenecke, Allison
Ouyang, Derek
Ho, Daniel E.
Kiang, Mathew V.
Rehkopf, David H.
contents Neighborhood-level screening algorithms are increasingly being deployed to inform policy decisions. We evaluate one such algorithm, CalEnviroScreen - designed to promote environmental justice and used to guide hundreds of millions of dollars in public funding annually - assessing its potential for allocative harm. We observe the model to be sensitive to subjective model decisions, with 16% of tracts potentially changing designation, as well as financially consequential, estimating the effect of its positive designations as a 104% (62-145%) increase in funding, equivalent to \$2.08 billion (\$1.56-2.41 billion) over four years. We also observe allocative tradeoffs and susceptibility to manipulation, raising ethical concerns. We recommend incorporating sensitivity analyses to mitigate allocative harm and accountability mechanisms to prevent misuse.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2304_05603
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Potential for allocative harm in an environmental justice data tool
Huynh, Benjamin Q.
Chin, Elizabeth T.
Koenecke, Allison
Ouyang, Derek
Ho, Daniel E.
Kiang, Mathew V.
Rehkopf, David H.
Applications
Computers and Society
Neighborhood-level screening algorithms are increasingly being deployed to inform policy decisions. We evaluate one such algorithm, CalEnviroScreen - designed to promote environmental justice and used to guide hundreds of millions of dollars in public funding annually - assessing its potential for allocative harm. We observe the model to be sensitive to subjective model decisions, with 16% of tracts potentially changing designation, as well as financially consequential, estimating the effect of its positive designations as a 104% (62-145%) increase in funding, equivalent to \$2.08 billion (\$1.56-2.41 billion) over four years. We also observe allocative tradeoffs and susceptibility to manipulation, raising ethical concerns. We recommend incorporating sensitivity analyses to mitigate allocative harm and accountability mechanisms to prevent misuse.
title Potential for allocative harm in an environmental justice data tool
topic Applications
Computers and Society
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.05603