Ideas worth spreading

Why smart statistics are the key to fighting crime

1,179,205 views | Anne Milgram • TED@BCG San Francisco

When she became the attorney general of New Jersey in 2007, Anne Milgram quickly discovered a few startling facts: not only did her team not really know who they were putting in jail, but they had no way of understanding if their decisions were actually making the public safer. And so began her ongoing, inspirational quest to bring data analytics and statistical analysis to the US criminal justice system.

When she became the attorney general of New Jersey in 2007, Anne Milgram quickly discovered a few startling facts: not only did her team not really know who they were putting in jail, but they had no way of understanding if their decisions were actually making the public safer. And so began her ongoing, inspirational quest to bring data analytics and statistical analysis to the US criminal justice system.

This talk was presented at a TED Institute event given in partnership with BCG. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about the TED Institute.

About the speaker

Anne Milgram

Criminal justice reformer

See speaker profile

Anne Milgram is committed to using data and analytics to fight crime.

Anne Milgram | The Atlantic, June 20, 2012 | Article

Moneyballing Criminal Justice

Smart statistics have changed baseball and healthcare. Here's how they can do the same for crime and punishment.

Laura and John Arnold Foundation, November 2013 | | Article

Developing a national model for pretrial risk assessment

This report is a summary of a large-scale, two-year research project focused on the role that data and analytics can play in helping judges determine what risk defendants who have been arrested pose to public safety, and whether they should be detained in jail or released prior to trial.

Laura and John Arnold Foundation, November 2013 | Article

Pretrial criminal justice research

This research summary presents the results of three research studies, conducted over two years, that found that extended pretrial detention is highly correlated with longer jail and prison terms, increased criminal activity after cases are over and a decreased likelihood that defendants will return to court.

About TED Institute

Every year, TED works with a group of select companies and foundations to identify internal ideators, inventors, connectors, and creators. Drawing on the same rigorous regimen that has prepared speakers for the TED main stage, TED Institute works closely with each partner, overseeing curation and providing intensive one-on-one talk development to sharpen and fine tune ideas. The culmination is an event produced, recorded, and hosted by TED, generating a growing library of valuable TED Talks that can spur innovation and transform organizations.

Read more about the TED Institute

This talk was presented at a TED Institute event given in partnership with BCG. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about the TED Institute.