AI in Adjudication and Administration

The use of artificial intelligence has expanded rapidly in recent years across many aspects of the economy. For federal, state, and local governments in the United States, interest in artificial intelligence has manifested in the use of a series of digital tools, including the occasional deployment of machine learning, to aid in the performance of a variety of governmental functions. In this paper, we canvas the current uses of such digital tools and machine-learning technologies by the judiciary and administrative agencies in the United States. Although we have yet to see fully automated decision-making find its way into either adjudication or administration, governmental entities at all levels are taking steps that could lead to the implementation of automated, machine-learning decision tools in the relatively near future. Within the federal and state court systems, for example, machine-learning tools have yet to be deployed, but other efforts have put in place digital building blocks toward such use. These efforts include the increased digitization of court records that algorithms will need to draw upon for data, the growth of online dispute resolution inside and outside of the courts, and the incorporation of non-learning risk assessment tools as inputs into bail, sentencing, and parole decisions. Administrative agencies have proven much more willing than courts to use machine-learning algorithms, deploying such algorithmic tools to help in the delivery of public services, management of government programs, and targeting of enforcement resources. We discuss already emerging concerns about the deployment of artificial intelligence and related digital tools to support judicial and administrative decision-making. If artificial intelligence is managed responsibly to address such concerns, the use of algorithmic tools by governmental entities throughout the United States would appear to show much future promise. This status report on current uses of algorithmic tools can serve as a benchmark against which to gauge future growth in the use of artificial intelligence in the public sector

UNDERSTANDING BITCOIN AND ITS UTILITY FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES

In just over 12 years, Bitcoin rose from an obscure idea posted to a cryptographer’s mailing list to a globally-recognized asset class with market cap of over $1 trillion. This paper examines Bitcoin and the blockchain technology on which it is based from two distinct angles: 1) its long-term viability as money or a durable unit of exchange, and 2) its potential applications within U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to enhance operational effectiveness. As a unit of exchange, Bitcoin contains the fundamental properties of money—durability, portability, divisibility, uniformity, and limited supply—but lacks one important characteristic: acceptability. Bitcoin’s odds of reaching this final milestone are threatened by the basic psychology of power, fear, and sovereign nations’ ability to exert control over its money supply. Within USSOCOM, early adoption of Bitcoin can provide a suite of tactical tools and options to counter Chinese expansion, enable human intelligence operations, and modernize frontline payment methods with the use of digital tokens and e-wallets.Lieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

Looking for Cover: A Public Choice Critique of the Canadian Debit Card Code

This paper compares and contrasts American and Canadian efforts to regulate debit cards. The paper begins by outlining significant differences between the two approaches arguing that Canadians do not enjoy the same level of protection as do their American counterparts with respect to its provisions governing unauthorized transactions, dispute resolution and its enforcement mechanisms. The question is then asked as to why this is the case and the paper examines the two legal regimes through an institutions affirming public choice lens. The paper suggests that the more concentrated nature of the financial services industry in addition to its desire to forestall more onerous future legislation explains why Debit Cards in Canada are governed by a more lax consumer protection regime than is the case in the United States. With respect to the methodology used to reach this conclusion, the author postulates that public choice can only be effective as a public policy tool if it is used in a positive prescriptive manner that is designed to provide an institutional alternative. The paper concludes with some suggestions for reform designed to make the legal regime in Canada more responsive to consumer concerns

Modeling Citizen Satisfaction with Mandatory Adoption of an E-Government Technology

While technology adoption is a major stream of research in information systems, few studies have examined the antecedents and consequences of mandatory adoption of technologies. To address this gap, we develop and test a model of mandatory citizen adoption of an e-government technology. Based on a framework that outlines the key stages associated with the launch of technology products, we identify various external factors as antecedents of four key technology adoption variables from the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), i.e., performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions, which ultimately impact citizen satisfaction. The four stages of technology launch and the salient antecedents in each stage are: (1) market preparation stage awareness; (2) targeting stage compatibility and self-efficacy; (3) positioning stage flexibility and avoidance of personal interaction; and (4) execution stage trust, convenience, and assistance. We test our model in a two-stage survey of 1,179 Hong Kong citizens, before and after they were issued a mandatory smart card to access e-government services. We find that the various factors tied to the different stages in launching the technology predict key technology adoption variables that, in turn, predict citizen satisfaction with e-government technology. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications for governments implementing technologies whose use by citizens is mandated

Beliefs and attitudes of citizens in Austria towards smart surveillance and privacy

This document presents the Austrian results of a qualitative study undertaken as part of the SMART project - “Scalable Measures for Automated Recognition Technologies” (SMART; G.A. 261727). The analysis and results are based on a set of 3 focus group discussions comprising of 19 participants from different age groups, which were held in order to examine the awareness, understanding, beliefs and attitudes of ctitizens towards smart surveillance and privacy. The focus group discussions were conducted in line with a discussion guide consisting of different scenarios aimed at stimulating a discussion among participants. While some scenarios dealt with surveillance in everyday contexts likely to be encountered by the participants, other scenarios were hypothetical in nature and their aim was to elicit the participants’ feelings, beliefs and attitudes in relation to dataveillance, the massive integration of data from different sources, and the “security versus privacy” trade-off.Scalable Measures for Automated Recognition Technologies (G.A. 267127). The project was co-financed by the European Union within the Seventh Framework Programme (2007-2013).peer-reviewe

E-Governance: Strategy for Mitigating Non-Inclusion of Citizens in Policy Making in Nigeria

The Nigerian federation that currently has 36 states structure adopted the Weberian Public Administrative system before now as an ideal way of running government, which was characterized with the traditional way of doing things without recourse to the deployment of Information Communication Technology (ICT). Today e-governance is seen as a paradigm shift from the previous way of governance. Research has shown that, the adoption and implementation of e-governance is more likely to bring about effective service delivery, mitigate corruption and ultimately enhance citizens’ participation in governmental affairs. However, it has been argued that infrastructure such as regular electricity power and access to the Internet, in addition to a society with high rate of literacy level are required to effectively implement and realize the potentials of e-governance for improved delivery of services. Due to the difficulties currently experienced, developing nations need to adequately prepare for the implementation of e-governance on the platform of Information Communication Technology (ICT). Hence, this study seeks to examine whether the adoption and implementation of e-governance in the context of Nigeria would mitigate the hitherto non-inclusion of citizens in the formulation and implementation of government policies aimed at enhanced development. To achieve the objective of the study, data were sourced and analyzed majorly by examining government websites of 20 states in the Nigerian federation to ascertain if there are venues for citizens to interact with government in the area of policy making and feedback on government actions, as a way of promoting participatory governance. The study revealed that the adoption and implementation of e-governance in the country is yet to fully take place. This is due to lack of infrastructure, low level of literacy rate and government inability to provide the necessary infrastructure for e-governance to materialize. The paper therefore, recommends among others the need for the Federal Government to involve a sound and clear policy on how to go about the adoption and implementation of egovernance through deliberate effort at increasing budgetary allocation towards infrastructural development and mass education of citizens

The Impact of e-Democracy in Political Stability of Nigeria

The history of the Nigerian electoral process has been hitherto characterized by violence stemming from disputes in election outcomes. For instance, violence erupted across some states in Northern Nigeria when results indicated that a candidate who was popular in that part of the country was losing the election leading to avoidable loss of lives. Beside, this dispute in election outcome lingers for a long time in litigation at the electoral tribunals which distracts effective governance. However, the increasing penetrating use of ICTs in Nigeria is evident in the electoral processes with consequent shift in the behavior of actors in the democratic processes, thus changing the ways Nigerians react to election outcomes. This paper examines the trend in the use ICT in the Nigerian political system and its impact on the stability of the polity. It assesses the role of ICT in recent electoral processes and compares its impact on the outcome of the process in lieu of previous experiences in the Nigeria. Furthermore, the paper also examines the challenges and risks of implementing e-Democracy in Nigeria and its relationship to the economy in the light of the socio-economic situation of the country. The paper adopted qualitative approach in data gathering and analysis. From the findings, the paper observed that e-democracy is largely dependent on the level of ICT adoption, which is still at its lowest ebb in the country. It recognizes the challenges in the provision of ICT infrastructure and argues that appropriate low-cost infrastructure applicable to the Nigerian condition can be made available to implement e-democracy and thus arouse the interest of the populace in governance, increase the number of voters, and enhance transparency, probity and accountability, and participation in governance as well as help stabilize the nascent democrac

Paper beats ping: On the effect of an increasing separation of notification and content due to digitization of government communication

Due to the massive uptake of online communication, people receive countless notifications on a given day. Governments also send more and more information via computer mediated communication instead of writing a paper letter to citizens. As a consequence, governments are increasingly exposed to the risk that citizens do not notice or act upon notifications that refer to governmental (sometimes legally binding) messages. This in turn may result in non-compliant behavior. Through a vignette study in three large scale surveys held in the Netherlands in 2015 and 2016, we have investigated how the channel (paper letter channel vs. e-mail channel that notifies that there is a digital letter available at a web portal) influences the speed with which people intend to read the actual content of a message while taking digital skills and expectations of the contents of a message into account. Results show that the channel has a significant and strong impact on the speed with which citizens read the contents of the message. This means that there is a risk that the efficiency gains that are won by communicating electronically are lost in effectiveness due to increased non-compliance because people do not actually see the government information that is sent to them. Therefore, it is important to think of new ways to effectively notifying people of new information in an online environment

SMART - IWRM : Integrated Water Resources Management in the Lower Jordan Rift Valley; Project Report Phase I (KIT Scientific Reports ; 7597)

This book provides an overview of the large scale Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) research program SMART at the Lower Jordan River Basin which aims at local implementation, knowledge & capacity building. The focus of the first phase is placed on decentralised wastewater treatment and reuse, water quality including emerging pollutants, management and modelling of groundwater systems, artificial recharge, socio-economic frameworks, a transboundary database and decision support tools