Google is in a giving mood. The technology giant is putting their money to good use by donating over $11.5 million to various charities fighting racial disparities in the criminal justice system. The organizations that will receive these funds, this time around, are groups that gather and assess data. The goal is the find out what are causing these disparities and find solutions to these problems. “There is significant ambiguity regarding the extent of racial bias in policing and criminal sentencing,” says Justin Steele, principal with Google.org. “We must find ways to improve the accessibility and usefulness of information.” One organization that is receiving a $5 million grant is Center for Policing Equity (CPE). CPE is a national research center that works with police departments and its communities to chart statistics on law enforcement actions (i.e. traffic stops, use of force, etc). Google engineers will also work with CPE to improve the center’s national database. Some organizations that will receive grants are reinvestments for Google. Code for America (helps reduce incarceration), Center for Employment Opportunities (provide careers for ex-felons), Silican Valley De-Bug (justice reform), and Defy Ventures (provides entrepreneurial training for former prisoners) will all receive funding. Learn more about Google’s philanthropic endeavors HERE.
