The investigation into the Post Office Horizon scandal sheds light on the risks associated with ‘technological justice’. Researchers have highlighted the dangers of ‘technological rationality’, where technology not only influences our actions but also our ability to think critically and comprehend harm.
The Horizon software, which was implemented in the early 2000s to manage finances across the Post Office network, was found to have errors that resulted in false accounting shortfalls. This led to the wrongful accusation of sub-postmasters for theft. Subsequently, more than 700 individuals were prosecuted based on erroneous data, causing many to experience financial devastation, emotional distress, and even imprisonment.
Dr. Michael McGuire, Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Surrey, commented, “The Post Office Horizon scandal serves as a stark reminder of the potential pitfalls of ‘technological justice’.”
“When legal decisions are primarily based on technical data, without adequate scrutiny and consideration of social context, the risk of miscarriages of justice becomes significant.”
The study utilizes a zemiological framework to examine the various harms caused by the scandal, including financial losses, emotional trauma, and societal damage. Zemiology, a critique of criminology and the concept of crime, focuses on social harms. Unlike ‘individual-based harms’ such as theft, the notion of social harm or social injury encompasses harms caused by nation-states and corporations.
However, the authors argue that this framework alone does not fully capture how technology contributes to such injustices.
Dr. Michael McGuire further stated, “By critically examining the Post Office scandal through the lens of technology and justice, we can work towards developing more robust frameworks that safeguard against future miscarriages of justice and ensure responsible integration of technology within the legal system.”
This research underscores the pressing need for a deeper understanding of the interplay between technology and legal processes, in order to create a legal system that is both efficient and grounded in critical human judgement.
The complete study has been published in the Howard Journal of Crime and Justice.
More details can be found in the article:
M. R. McGuire et al, Harm, injustice & technology: Reflections on the UK’s subpostmasters’ case, The Howard Journal of Crime and Justice (2023).
DOI: 10.1111/hojo.12533
The information was provided by the University of Surrey.
Citation: ‘Post Office Horizon’ scandal exposes dangers of ‘technological justice’, according to study (2024, March 13) retrieved 14 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2024-03-office-horizon-scandal-exposes-dangers.html
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