Opposition is growing against the practice of predictive or algorithmic policing, although police in Australia and elsewhere remain reluctant to discuss it. In 1836, Scottish geologist Sir George Stewart Mackenzie advocated using phrenology—measuring head shapes—to assess the moral character of convicts transported to the British penal colony of New South Wales, Australia. Mackenzie submitted his proposal to Britain's Secretary for the Colonies, Lord Glenelg, claiming the method could evaluate an individual's history and aid in rehabilitating criminals. Although phrenology was promoted at the time as a cutting-edge science capable of predicting a person's likelihood of criminality, the practice is now recognised as complete rubbish.

Background: Predictive Policing and Risk Scoring

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