RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Algorithms and Decision-making
JF Journal of Human Resources
JO J Hum Resour
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 0224-13437R2
DO 10.3368/jhr.0224-13437R2
A1 Fitzpatrick, Maria D.
A1 Sadowski, Katharine
A1 Wildeman, Christopher
YR 2025
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2025/08/01/jhr.0224-13437R2.abstract
AB Around 40% of children experience maltreatment (Finkelhor et al. 2013), with harmful outcomes and high social costs. Child protection decisions are complex, and potentially biased and/or prone to errors due to underfunding and overload. Our randomized controlled trial showed algorithmic tools sped up decision-making but didn't significantly change child outcomes, perhaps because COVID disruptions limited outcome analysis. Results are suggestive that risk aversions played a role: high-risk cases flagged by the tool were more likely screened in, while low-risk cases weren’t more likely screened out. Time savings from the tool could enable caseworkers to spend more time directly with families.