How AI could 'predict' crime (like in the movies)

The UK authorities are said to be considering developing algorithms capable of preventing crimes by analysing criminal data. Such an initiative would raise ethical questions - and also brings to mind a classic science fiction film. According to The Guardian, the British government is developing a program to "predict" murders, simply by identifying the individuals most likely to commit these crimes. This project, called "sharing data to improve risk assessment", works with algorithms that analyse the personal data of thousands of people already known to the authorities. For the moment, the project is only in the research phase, and only uses data from individuals with at least one criminal conviction. This includes information from police and probation service files. Types of data reportedly being integrated include criminal convictions, data relating to health and addictions, as well a...