How Public Officials Perceive Algorithmic Discretion: A Study of Status Quo Bias in Policing

Algorithms are disrupting established decision-making practices in public administration. A key area of interest lies in algorithmic discretion or how public officials use algorithms to exercise discretion. The article develops a framework to explain algorithmic discretion by drawing on status quo bias theory and bureaucratic discretion. A study with police officers in the UK shows that—while officers still value their discretion—it is resistance via the aspects of status quo bias that accounts for a more substantial explanation. Transition costs, loss aversion, and performance uncertainty determine resistance and, in turn, reluctance to delegate discretion to algorithms. The study contributes to public administration research that demonstrates the influence of cognitive biases in the increasing use of algorithms in areas like policing. The article concludes with recommendations for embedding algorithmic discretion into the professional development of public officials to mitigate sources of status quo bias.