A video that appears to show a Mexican soldier shooting a man lying face down on the ground in the back of the head has sparked calls for a federal investigation.
In the footage, a badly damaged car can be seen rolling to a halt as gunfire sparks off the bonnet and roof, before it is surrounded by soldiers.
Minutes later, the doors of the vehicle open and people getting out are forced on to the ground off-camera.
Soldiers then drag a man, who appears to still be alive, into a well-lit part of the shot, where he lies face down on the ground with his hands on his head for about six minutes before a soldier steps over him and appears to shoot him at point-blank range.
What appears to be blood then pools on the floor as the soldiers move around.
Mexico's defence ministry has urged federal prosecutors to examine the video.
In a statement, it said prosecutors should "comprehensively clear up" whether the footage does show a detained man being shot dead after a clash last week between security forces and suspected criminals.
The incident is reported to have taken place during a gun battle between soldiers and suspected oil thieves in the state of Puebla last week.
Four soldiers and six suspected criminals were killed in the clashes.
Mexico's army has been caught up in a number of scandals in the last few years involving the use of extrajudicial force, undermining government efforts to crackdown on gang violence.
The defence ministry said in a statement that soldiers had come under fire from vehicles in Palmarito and had detained some of the attackers.
It said it was co-operating with the attorney general's office.
In 2014 and 2015, shootouts between federal security forces and suspected gang members left more than 60 people dead and triggered claims of extrajudicial killings.
Three soldiers are in prison over one of those shootings.
Thursday, May 11, 2017
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Parties agree to meet NATO 2% defence budget target
The Conservative and Labour parties have reaffirmed their commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defence if they win the General Election and criticised each other's policies towards the armed forces.
Theresa May said Jeremy Corbyn's approach to defence was "nonsensical", while the shadow defence secretary described the Tories as "hypocrites".
"Their cuts have left our forces more under-resourced and underpaid than at any time in the modern era," said Nia Griffith.
"Labour is committed to spending at least 2% of GDP on defence and ensuring that our armed forces have the necessary capabilities to fulfil the full range of our NATO obligations, and we will continue to press other members of the Alliance to do the same."
Although the Conservatives have repeatedly boasted about their achievement of spending 2% of GDP on defence, the Government's very own newly released calculations show they have fallen short of that.
The 2017 Public Spending Statistics, compiled by the Office for National Statistics with Treasury figures, show that 1.9% of GDP was spent on defence in 2015/16.
The figures, released a few days ago, are the most up-to-date analysis of Government spending.
The Ministry of Defence argues that the NATO figure includes spending outside of the main MOD budget such as war pensions and elements of intelligence spending, but the confusion supports those who accuse the Government of creative accounting and shows the UK is close to the line, whoever has their calculations right.
On Wednesday a group of former senior military personnel wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister to express concerns that the British armed forces are understaffed and under-equipped.
It read: "The armed services are having to seek further very damaging savings in manpower, support and training at a time when the likelihood of combat operations is increasing. These realities of the security situation must be faced."
Earlier this year the respected security think-tank the IISS also said it thought Britain fell short of its 2% commitment, although that was vehemently rejected by Downing Street and NATO has said it believes the UK does meet the target.
Later this month Theresa May will travel to Brussels for a NATO summit. The UK has repeatedly called on other NATO countries to increase their defence spending.
"As Prime Minister I always have and always will put Britain's national security first," Mrs May said.
"That is why if elected on 8 June I will ensure that the UK continues to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence and that the budget rises every year."
Theresa May said Jeremy Corbyn's approach to defence was "nonsensical", while the shadow defence secretary described the Tories as "hypocrites".
"Their cuts have left our forces more under-resourced and underpaid than at any time in the modern era," said Nia Griffith.
"Labour is committed to spending at least 2% of GDP on defence and ensuring that our armed forces have the necessary capabilities to fulfil the full range of our NATO obligations, and we will continue to press other members of the Alliance to do the same."
Although the Conservatives have repeatedly boasted about their achievement of spending 2% of GDP on defence, the Government's very own newly released calculations show they have fallen short of that.
The 2017 Public Spending Statistics, compiled by the Office for National Statistics with Treasury figures, show that 1.9% of GDP was spent on defence in 2015/16.
The figures, released a few days ago, are the most up-to-date analysis of Government spending.
The Ministry of Defence argues that the NATO figure includes spending outside of the main MOD budget such as war pensions and elements of intelligence spending, but the confusion supports those who accuse the Government of creative accounting and shows the UK is close to the line, whoever has their calculations right.
On Wednesday a group of former senior military personnel wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister to express concerns that the British armed forces are understaffed and under-equipped.
It read: "The armed services are having to seek further very damaging savings in manpower, support and training at a time when the likelihood of combat operations is increasing. These realities of the security situation must be faced."
Earlier this year the respected security think-tank the IISS also said it thought Britain fell short of its 2% commitment, although that was vehemently rejected by Downing Street and NATO has said it believes the UK does meet the target.
Later this month Theresa May will travel to Brussels for a NATO summit. The UK has repeatedly called on other NATO countries to increase their defence spending.
"As Prime Minister I always have and always will put Britain's national security first," Mrs May said.
"That is why if elected on 8 June I will ensure that the UK continues to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence and that the budget rises every year."
Labour manifesto leak: Renationalise rail, buses, energy and Royal Mail
Labour is poised to pledge to re-nationalise energy companies, railways and the Royal Mail in its most left-wing election manifesto in a generation.
Leaked drafts of the manifesto also reveal Jeremy Corbyn is committed to achieving a "nuclear-free world" and "extremely cautious" about using Britain's nuclear deterrent.
And in a pledge that will be attacked by Tory ministers, the manifesto says the Labour leader will only send the armed forces into combat if "all other options have been exhausted".
The manifesto also says Mr Corbyn will scrap tuition fees, rule out a "no deal" Brexit and refuse to set a migration target, but keep Trident despite Mr Corbyn's personal opposition to its renewal.
:: Jeremy Corbyn: From professional protester to Labour leader
The leak came on the eve of a meeting to agree the manifesto to be attended by Labour's national executive, shadow cabinet, policy forum, trade union leaders and backbench committee of MPs.
The proposals, already being dismissed by critics as a return to the 1970s, include:
:: A pledge to nationalise energy firms, railways, bus firms and Royal Mail
:: Income tax increases for those earning more than £80,000 a year
:: Ensuring 60% of the UK's energy comes from renewable sources by 2030
:: Companies with government contracts would only be allowed to pay their highest earner 20 times more than the lowest
:: Fines for businesses that pay their staff high wages and a business levy on profits
The draft manifesto, which runs to 43 pages, also contains promises of £6bn-a-year extra for the NHS and £1.6bn-a-year for social care.
University tuition fees will be abolished entirely and town halls ordered to build 100,000 new council houses a year under a new Department for Housing.
Thousands of homes will be offered to rough sleepers and private rent hikes capped at inflation.
A new Ministry of Labour will oversee the biggest boost to workers' rights in decades, while planned hikes to the pension age beyond 66 will not go ahead.
It also contains measures already announced including £5bn to end "Tory schools cuts", 10,000 extra police officers and a £250bn capital investment programme to upgrade British infrastructure.
Despite the big spending pledges, the manifesto includes a commitment to get rid of the deficit and balance Britain's day-to-day budget by the end of the next Parliament.
The extra spending will be almost entirely funded by new taxes for big corporations and rich individuals, the manifesto suggests.
The draft manifesto states: "University tuition is free in many northern European countries, and under a Labour government it will be free in Britain too."
Mr Corbyn has previously suggested the measure would cost £7bn and could be funded through higher corporation tax. There will also be £1bn invested in culture and the arts.
The pledges to boost workers' and trade union rights include the doubling of paternity leave on increased pay; a right to a contract for those working 12 hours a week or more; and an assumption that workers are employees unless a firm can prove otherwise.
It also contains measures already announced including £5bn to end "Tory schools cuts", 10,000 extra police officers and a £250bn capital investment programme to upgrade British infrastructure.
Despite the big spending pledges, the manifesto includes a commitment to get rid of the deficit and balance Britain's day-to-day budget by the end of the next Parliament.
The extra spending will be almost entirely funded by new taxes for big corporations and rich individuals, the manifesto suggests.
The draft manifesto states: "University tuition is free in many northern European countries, and under a Labour government it will be free in Britain too."
Mr Corbyn has previously suggested the measure would cost £7bn and could be funded through higher corporation tax. There will also be £1bn invested in culture and the arts.
The pledges to boost workers' and trade union rights include the doubling of paternity leave on increased pay; a right to a contract for those working 12 hours a week or more; and an assumption that workers are employees unless a firm can prove otherwise.
On defence the manifesto says: "Any prime minister should be extremely cautious about ordering the use of weapons of mass destruction which would result in the indiscriminate killing of millions of innocent civilians."
On immigration, the manifesto says Labour will make "no false promises" as the Tories have done.
Instead it states "our economy needs migrant workers to keep going" and vows to abandon rules which stop British citizens from bringing in spouses from outside Europe unless they earn £18,600-a-year.
That 'minimum income threshold' will be dropped, and replaced with a new obligation to live in Britain without relying on public funds or benefits.
Instead it vows to crack down on bosses who try to undercut wages with migrant workers or recruit exclusively from abroad.
:: Corbyn: People are angry and rightly so
The manifesto will delight Labour left-wingers who have spent decades calling for the party to be more radical, but critics are bound to compare it to the Michael Foot manifesto of 1983, notoriously dismissed by the late Gerald Kaufman as "the longest suicide note in history".
A spokesman for Mr Corbyn told Sky News: "We do not comment on leaks. We will announce our policies in our manifesto, which is our plan to transform Britain for the many, not the few."
Leaked drafts of the manifesto also reveal Jeremy Corbyn is committed to achieving a "nuclear-free world" and "extremely cautious" about using Britain's nuclear deterrent.
And in a pledge that will be attacked by Tory ministers, the manifesto says the Labour leader will only send the armed forces into combat if "all other options have been exhausted".
The manifesto also says Mr Corbyn will scrap tuition fees, rule out a "no deal" Brexit and refuse to set a migration target, but keep Trident despite Mr Corbyn's personal opposition to its renewal.
:: Jeremy Corbyn: From professional protester to Labour leader
The leak came on the eve of a meeting to agree the manifesto to be attended by Labour's national executive, shadow cabinet, policy forum, trade union leaders and backbench committee of MPs.
The proposals, already being dismissed by critics as a return to the 1970s, include:
:: A pledge to nationalise energy firms, railways, bus firms and Royal Mail
:: Income tax increases for those earning more than £80,000 a year
:: Ensuring 60% of the UK's energy comes from renewable sources by 2030
:: Companies with government contracts would only be allowed to pay their highest earner 20 times more than the lowest
:: Fines for businesses that pay their staff high wages and a business levy on profits
The draft manifesto, which runs to 43 pages, also contains promises of £6bn-a-year extra for the NHS and £1.6bn-a-year for social care.
University tuition fees will be abolished entirely and town halls ordered to build 100,000 new council houses a year under a new Department for Housing.
Thousands of homes will be offered to rough sleepers and private rent hikes capped at inflation.
A new Ministry of Labour will oversee the biggest boost to workers' rights in decades, while planned hikes to the pension age beyond 66 will not go ahead.
It also contains measures already announced including £5bn to end "Tory schools cuts", 10,000 extra police officers and a £250bn capital investment programme to upgrade British infrastructure.
Despite the big spending pledges, the manifesto includes a commitment to get rid of the deficit and balance Britain's day-to-day budget by the end of the next Parliament.
The extra spending will be almost entirely funded by new taxes for big corporations and rich individuals, the manifesto suggests.
The draft manifesto states: "University tuition is free in many northern European countries, and under a Labour government it will be free in Britain too."
Mr Corbyn has previously suggested the measure would cost £7bn and could be funded through higher corporation tax. There will also be £1bn invested in culture and the arts.
The pledges to boost workers' and trade union rights include the doubling of paternity leave on increased pay; a right to a contract for those working 12 hours a week or more; and an assumption that workers are employees unless a firm can prove otherwise.
It also contains measures already announced including £5bn to end "Tory schools cuts", 10,000 extra police officers and a £250bn capital investment programme to upgrade British infrastructure.
Despite the big spending pledges, the manifesto includes a commitment to get rid of the deficit and balance Britain's day-to-day budget by the end of the next Parliament.
The extra spending will be almost entirely funded by new taxes for big corporations and rich individuals, the manifesto suggests.
The draft manifesto states: "University tuition is free in many northern European countries, and under a Labour government it will be free in Britain too."
Mr Corbyn has previously suggested the measure would cost £7bn and could be funded through higher corporation tax. There will also be £1bn invested in culture and the arts.
The pledges to boost workers' and trade union rights include the doubling of paternity leave on increased pay; a right to a contract for those working 12 hours a week or more; and an assumption that workers are employees unless a firm can prove otherwise.
On defence the manifesto says: "Any prime minister should be extremely cautious about ordering the use of weapons of mass destruction which would result in the indiscriminate killing of millions of innocent civilians."
On immigration, the manifesto says Labour will make "no false promises" as the Tories have done.
Instead it states "our economy needs migrant workers to keep going" and vows to abandon rules which stop British citizens from bringing in spouses from outside Europe unless they earn £18,600-a-year.
That 'minimum income threshold' will be dropped, and replaced with a new obligation to live in Britain without relying on public funds or benefits.
Instead it vows to crack down on bosses who try to undercut wages with migrant workers or recruit exclusively from abroad.
:: Corbyn: People are angry and rightly so
The manifesto will delight Labour left-wingers who have spent decades calling for the party to be more radical, but critics are bound to compare it to the Michael Foot manifesto of 1983, notoriously dismissed by the late Gerald Kaufman as "the longest suicide note in history".
A spokesman for Mr Corbyn told Sky News: "We do not comment on leaks. We will announce our policies in our manifesto, which is our plan to transform Britain for the many, not the few."
Lib Dems pledge to allow 10,000 Syrian refugees to come to UK each year
Ten thousand Syrian refugees will be allowed into Britain every year under Liberal Democrat proposals.
The party has also pledged to reopen the Dubs programme for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children stranded in Europe.
In February the Government scraped the policy which was meant to benefit as many as 3,000 children but only 350 were allowed into the UK before it was closed.
The British government are also only committed to offering refuge to 20,000 Syrians by 2020.
The Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, who will visit a refugee charity in Cheltenham later, will say: "This is about the sort of country we are.
"The Britain I love is an open, tolerant, united country with a generous spirit and compassion for those in need. I love my country - and I hate it when my government makes me feel ashamed.
"Faced with suffering and trauma on a scale not seen since the Second World War, Theresa May has wilfully chosen to tear up her promises to help some of the most vulnerable children and people in the world.
"In the last two years I have visited refugees in Calais, Lesbos and Macedonia. I've looked these refugees in the eye and seen their suffering. By committing to taking 10,000 Syrian refugees a year and reopening Dubs we can do our part to ease that suffering."
The party has also pledged to increase spending on mental health provisions with a £1bn boost to reduce waiting times and provide extra measures to prevent the number of suicides.
The announcement is part of a wider increase in health spending which the Lib Dems announced last weekend.
Extra spending would be funded by putting 1p on income tax which is expected to raise £6bn annually.
The party has pledged that £1bn of this will be protected for mental health programmes which they describe as being "stretched to breaking point".
Norman Lamb, the party's health spokesman, said: "The Liberal Democrats are committed to ending the historic injustice against people with mental ill health.
"Under the Conservative government, services have been stretched to breaking point at a time when the prevalence of mental ill health appears to be rising."
Mental health has become a significant issue during the election campaign with all major parties committed to reform and extra spending.
Mrs May has announced significant reforms to mental health provision and committed a future government to employing 10,000 additional staff by the end of the decade.
The party has also pledged to reopen the Dubs programme for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children stranded in Europe.
In February the Government scraped the policy which was meant to benefit as many as 3,000 children but only 350 were allowed into the UK before it was closed.
The British government are also only committed to offering refuge to 20,000 Syrians by 2020.
The Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, who will visit a refugee charity in Cheltenham later, will say: "This is about the sort of country we are.
"The Britain I love is an open, tolerant, united country with a generous spirit and compassion for those in need. I love my country - and I hate it when my government makes me feel ashamed.
"Faced with suffering and trauma on a scale not seen since the Second World War, Theresa May has wilfully chosen to tear up her promises to help some of the most vulnerable children and people in the world.
"In the last two years I have visited refugees in Calais, Lesbos and Macedonia. I've looked these refugees in the eye and seen their suffering. By committing to taking 10,000 Syrian refugees a year and reopening Dubs we can do our part to ease that suffering."
The party has also pledged to increase spending on mental health provisions with a £1bn boost to reduce waiting times and provide extra measures to prevent the number of suicides.
The announcement is part of a wider increase in health spending which the Lib Dems announced last weekend.
Extra spending would be funded by putting 1p on income tax which is expected to raise £6bn annually.
The party has pledged that £1bn of this will be protected for mental health programmes which they describe as being "stretched to breaking point".
Norman Lamb, the party's health spokesman, said: "The Liberal Democrats are committed to ending the historic injustice against people with mental ill health.
"Under the Conservative government, services have been stretched to breaking point at a time when the prevalence of mental ill health appears to be rising."
Mental health has become a significant issue during the election campaign with all major parties committed to reform and extra spending.
Mrs May has announced significant reforms to mental health provision and committed a future government to employing 10,000 additional staff by the end of the decade.
Lib Dems pledge to allow 10,000 Syrian refugees to come to UK each year
Ten thousand Syrian refugees will be allowed into Britain every year under Liberal Democrat proposals.
The party has also pledged to reopen the Dubs programme for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children stranded in Europe.
In February the Government scraped the policy which was meant to benefit as many as 3,000 children but only 350 were allowed into the UK before it was closed.
The British government are also only committed to offering refuge to 20,000 Syrians by 2020.
The Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, who will visit a refugee charity in Cheltenham later, will say: "This is about the sort of country we are.
"The Britain I love is an open, tolerant, united country with a generous spirit and compassion for those in need. I love my country - and I hate it when my government makes me feel ashamed.
"Faced with suffering and trauma on a scale not seen since the Second World War, Theresa May has wilfully chosen to tear up her promises to help some of the most vulnerable children and people in the world.
"In the last two years I have visited refugees in Calais, Lesbos and Macedonia. I've looked these refugees in the eye and seen their suffering. By committing to taking 10,000 Syrian refugees a year and reopening Dubs we can do our part to ease that suffering."
The party has also pledged to increase spending on mental health provisions with a £1bn boost to reduce waiting times and provide extra measures to prevent the number of suicides.
The announcement is part of a wider increase in health spending which the Lib Dems announced last weekend.
Extra spending would be funded by putting 1p on income tax which is expected to raise £6bn annually.
The party has pledged that £1bn of this will be protected for mental health programmes which they describe as being "stretched to breaking point".
Norman Lamb, the party's health spokesman, said: "The Liberal Democrats are committed to ending the historic injustice against people with mental ill health.
"Under the Conservative government, services have been stretched to breaking point at a time when the prevalence of mental ill health appears to be rising."
Mental health has become a significant issue during the election campaign with all major parties committed to reform and extra spending.
Mrs May has announced significant reforms to mental health provision and committed a future government to employing 10,000 additional staff by the end of the decade.
The party has also pledged to reopen the Dubs programme for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children stranded in Europe.
In February the Government scraped the policy which was meant to benefit as many as 3,000 children but only 350 were allowed into the UK before it was closed.
The British government are also only committed to offering refuge to 20,000 Syrians by 2020.
The Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, who will visit a refugee charity in Cheltenham later, will say: "This is about the sort of country we are.
"The Britain I love is an open, tolerant, united country with a generous spirit and compassion for those in need. I love my country - and I hate it when my government makes me feel ashamed.
"Faced with suffering and trauma on a scale not seen since the Second World War, Theresa May has wilfully chosen to tear up her promises to help some of the most vulnerable children and people in the world.
"In the last two years I have visited refugees in Calais, Lesbos and Macedonia. I've looked these refugees in the eye and seen their suffering. By committing to taking 10,000 Syrian refugees a year and reopening Dubs we can do our part to ease that suffering."
The party has also pledged to increase spending on mental health provisions with a £1bn boost to reduce waiting times and provide extra measures to prevent the number of suicides.
The announcement is part of a wider increase in health spending which the Lib Dems announced last weekend.
Extra spending would be funded by putting 1p on income tax which is expected to raise £6bn annually.
The party has pledged that £1bn of this will be protected for mental health programmes which they describe as being "stretched to breaking point".
Norman Lamb, the party's health spokesman, said: "The Liberal Democrats are committed to ending the historic injustice against people with mental ill health.
"Under the Conservative government, services have been stretched to breaking point at a time when the prevalence of mental ill health appears to be rising."
Mental health has become a significant issue during the election campaign with all major parties committed to reform and extra spending.
Mrs May has announced significant reforms to mental health provision and committed a future government to employing 10,000 additional staff by the end of the decade.
Tourists warned over militant group's kidnap plot in the Philippines
Terrorists are planning to kidnap foreigners in tourist hotspots across the Philippines, Western governments have warned, following a foiled abduction attempt by Islamist militants last month.
The US embassy warned there was a kidnapping threat on the western island of Palawan - one of the most popular destinations in the Philippines.
In a travel advisory, it said: "The US Embassy has received credible information that terrorist groups may be planning to conduct kidnapping operations targeting foreign nationals in the areas of Palawan."
The warning identified two locations - the capital city of Puerto Princesa and a nearby underground river that attracts thousands of visitors every day.
Puerto Princesa is around 240 miles from the southern islands that are strongholds for the Abu Sayyaf, militants who have pledged allegiance to Islamic State and frequently kidnap foreigners.
President Rodrigo Duterte has insisted that security has been increased on the island of Palawan.
Warnings have also been issued by the Canadian and British embassies on Wednesday, highlighting concerns in the Philippines, around Bohol, Dumaguete, Siquijor and Cebu in particular.
Last month, Abu Sayyaf attempted a kidnapping on Bohol island, in central Philippines, but were foiled after authorities became aware of the plot.
Security forces discovered the militants a day after they arrived on speedboats from Bohol and engaged them in a gun battle.
Nine militants, three soldiers and one policeman were killed in the clashes, authorities said. Another militant died in police custody.
The Bohol raid occurred days after the US embassy issued a warning of kidnappings in Bohol and the neighbouring island of Cebu.
Abu Sayyaf typically targets coastal areas after travelling from their southern island strongholds on speedboats.
Last year, militants from the group beheaded two Canadian citizens and an elderly German sailor in February after ransom demands were not met.
The group also raided a resort in Puerto Princesa's Honda Bay in 2001, abducting three Americans and 17 Filipinos. One of the Americans was beheaded, a second was killed in a military rescue attempt a year later and the third was freed.
The US embassy warned there was a kidnapping threat on the western island of Palawan - one of the most popular destinations in the Philippines.
In a travel advisory, it said: "The US Embassy has received credible information that terrorist groups may be planning to conduct kidnapping operations targeting foreign nationals in the areas of Palawan."
The warning identified two locations - the capital city of Puerto Princesa and a nearby underground river that attracts thousands of visitors every day.
Puerto Princesa is around 240 miles from the southern islands that are strongholds for the Abu Sayyaf, militants who have pledged allegiance to Islamic State and frequently kidnap foreigners.
President Rodrigo Duterte has insisted that security has been increased on the island of Palawan.
Warnings have also been issued by the Canadian and British embassies on Wednesday, highlighting concerns in the Philippines, around Bohol, Dumaguete, Siquijor and Cebu in particular.
Last month, Abu Sayyaf attempted a kidnapping on Bohol island, in central Philippines, but were foiled after authorities became aware of the plot.
Security forces discovered the militants a day after they arrived on speedboats from Bohol and engaged them in a gun battle.
Nine militants, three soldiers and one policeman were killed in the clashes, authorities said. Another militant died in police custody.
The Bohol raid occurred days after the US embassy issued a warning of kidnappings in Bohol and the neighbouring island of Cebu.
Abu Sayyaf typically targets coastal areas after travelling from their southern island strongholds on speedboats.
Last year, militants from the group beheaded two Canadian citizens and an elderly German sailor in February after ransom demands were not met.
The group also raided a resort in Puerto Princesa's Honda Bay in 2001, abducting three Americans and 17 Filipinos. One of the Americans was beheaded, a second was killed in a military rescue attempt a year later and the third was freed.
Durham Police using artificial intelligence to make custody decisions
Police in Durham will trial an artificial intelligence system (AI) to judge the risk of suspects re-offending.
The AI will help custody sergeants decide whether suspects should be sent into the criminal justice system.
It has been called the Harm Assessment Risk Tool (HART) and will be launched within the next three months, Durham police told Sky News.
It will classify the suspects as either low, medium, or high risk of reoffending, contributing to whether they are released or remanded in custody.
A scientific randomised trial of the forecasts found that only 2% of low-risk suspects turned out to be at high-risk of reoffending.
However, it also found that 12% of those forecast as high risk turned out to be low risk.
HART was developed by Dr Geoffrey Barnes in a partnership between Durham Constabulary and the University of Cambridge's Centre for Evidence-Based Policing.
Professor Lawrence Sherman, the director of the centre, told Sky News that, with budgets for the Crown Prosecution Service and magistrates' courts being "slashed", it was an important economic requirement for police to identify when to keep suspects out of the criminal justice system.
"What the algorithm does is allow the police to make evidence-based decisions," said Professor Sherman.
Asked if he was concerned about the 12% of low-risk suspects that were wrongly identified as high risk, and thus more harshly treated than they might have been, Professor Sherman said: "Not at all.
"This is totally transparent science.
"The hypothesis that we want to test will clearly have a result in showing whether the algorithm made the decisions better or worse."
Professor Sherman said he was concerned about whether incorrect decisions resulted in damaged lives, but stressed: "We don't know if the current system could be damaging lives."
The AI will help custody sergeants decide whether suspects should be sent into the criminal justice system.
It has been called the Harm Assessment Risk Tool (HART) and will be launched within the next three months, Durham police told Sky News.
It will classify the suspects as either low, medium, or high risk of reoffending, contributing to whether they are released or remanded in custody.
A scientific randomised trial of the forecasts found that only 2% of low-risk suspects turned out to be at high-risk of reoffending.
However, it also found that 12% of those forecast as high risk turned out to be low risk.
HART was developed by Dr Geoffrey Barnes in a partnership between Durham Constabulary and the University of Cambridge's Centre for Evidence-Based Policing.
Professor Lawrence Sherman, the director of the centre, told Sky News that, with budgets for the Crown Prosecution Service and magistrates' courts being "slashed", it was an important economic requirement for police to identify when to keep suspects out of the criminal justice system.
"What the algorithm does is allow the police to make evidence-based decisions," said Professor Sherman.
Asked if he was concerned about the 12% of low-risk suspects that were wrongly identified as high risk, and thus more harshly treated than they might have been, Professor Sherman said: "Not at all.
"This is totally transparent science.
"The hypothesis that we want to test will clearly have a result in showing whether the algorithm made the decisions better or worse."
Professor Sherman said he was concerned about whether incorrect decisions resulted in damaged lives, but stressed: "We don't know if the current system could be damaging lives."
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