For Data to Knowledge

D a n O ’ B r i e n

S c h o o l o f P u b l i c P o l i c y a n d U r b a n A f f a i r s , N o r t h e a s t e r n U n i v e r s i t y

D i r e c t o r , B o s t o n A r e a R e s e a r c h I n i t i a t i v e , N o r t h e a s t e r n & H a r v a r d U n i v e r s i t i e s

Smart Cities

What Does it Mean for a City to Be Smart?

Naturally-Occurring Data:Enabling “Smart”

� Vast array of applications

� Accessible to all cities and institutions (or, at least, more so)

� The future is now

The Boston Area Research Initiative

� Bringing together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and community leaders to envision and realize the future of the city.

� With the goal of leveraging data and technology to enhance equity, justice, and democracy.

� Primary focus on Greater Boston as a model for cities across the country and world.

¡ www.bostonarearesearchinitiative.net

A C A U T I O N A R Y , A S P I R A T I O N A L T A L E

Mapping FIO Records

Geography in the FIO Data

� Officers record address or intersection of interaction.

� Not exactly standardized…¡ 50,869 intersections (in various formats)¡ 79,450 streets with no address (e.g., 0 Dudley St.)¡ 21,911 street addresses

� We were able to geocode 46% using BARI’s systems

Are Geocoded Cases Representative?

� Not racially representative¡ Stops of Black individuals are more likely to be geocoded.

Are Geocoded Cases Representative?

� Not racially representative� Not geographically representative

Are Geocoded Cases Representative?

� Not racially representative� Not geographically representative� Not representative across events

¡ Much better geocoding for stops with “basis”—search, suspicion, probable cause.

So What Do We Do?

� Only some neighborhoods really can be analyzed.

� Only some types of cases.

� This is fine…but we need to be clear about the implications for what we can learn and how we should interpret those findings.

Thank You

Learn more at www.bostonarearesearchinitiative.netOr contact me at d.obrien@neu.edu

Also, learn more about the book at Amazon or Harvard University Press