This article addresses the challenge of staff and resource constraints in police agencies and police-based victim service providers, discussing the potential for artificial intelligence to alleviate resource constraints through information and support services.
This article discusses the use of artificial intelligence tools such as chat robots (chatbots), or virtual assistants, to alleviate staff and resource constraints in police agencies and police-based service providers. It notes that chatbots can be used to provide customer support, automate routine functions, and to provide answers to standard questions. The article reports on a pilot test of the Enhanced Virtual Victim Assistant (EVVA), which was designed to address the lack of justice-system based resources and responses available for burglary victims. EVVA was tested by RTI International using funding from the Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, and in collaboration with the Minnesota Alliance on Crime, the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), and the Greensboro Police Department (GPD) in North Carolina. The article discusses what chatbots are as well as their uses and benefits, noting that while they are typically used in customer service, their potential benefits extend to the criminal justice system for improving efficiency and public engagement, reducing administrative costs, and enhancing police departments’ abilities to respond to certain victim needs. The article reports on the development and testing of EVVA, GPD reflection on EVVA’s implementation, and some considerations for the use of chatbots for responding to victims including potential misuses of the technology. The article also discusses other potential criminal justice applications for chatbot technology.