Asia-Pacific prisons deploy ‘dehumanising’ facial recognition

A policeman walks inside the Tihar Jail in New Delhi. Prisons are increasingly using facial recognition, but AI is prone to error and can entrench bias against minorities, rights experts say. — Reuters

In Singapore’s prisons, CCTVs in the cells watch over inmates, facial recognition is used for headcount checks, and an artificial intelligence-based behaviour detection system monitors for fights and other suspicious activities.

“Sometimes, the facial recognition cameras would turn on at odd times, without warning. Or the behaviour detection would alert the guards if people were just exercising in the cell,” said Tan, 26, a former inmate, who asked to go by his last name.