Bemidji State Hosts AI-Focused MLK Day Talk on Youth Justice

Bemidji State University will host youth advocate Earl Brown from noon to 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 19, in the Hobson Memorial Union's Beaux Arts Ballroom as part of its Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance. The free, public event with light appetizers offers a local forum on how emerging technology intersects with juvenile justice and human services.

Brown brings combined experience in frontline supervision, assessment and mentoring to the discussion. He is a first-generation college graduate currently pursuing a master’s in management information systems with a concentration in artificial intelligence. His resume includes service as a probation and parole officer, work as a qualified assessor for the Minnesota Department of Human Services, mentoring at-risk youth, and membership in the 100 Black Men of Augusta. He is developing AI tools aimed at improving case management and outcomes for at-risk youth.

The presentation arrives at a moment when counties and state agencies are weighing how to modernize caseload management. For Beltrami County, possible implications range from faster information sharing and resource targeting to thorny questions about algorithmic bias, data privacy and accountability in decisions that affect young people. Agencies such as county social services and juvenile probation already operate under state guidance from the Department of Human Services, and elected officials control budgets and oversight that determine whether new tools are piloted locally.

Practical benefits of AI-assisted case management include predictive analytics to identify youth in need of intervention and systems to track service delivery. Those benefits must be balanced against risks: automated recommendations can reproduce existing disparities if underlying data reflect biased systems, and safeguards are required to protect sensitive juvenile records. The technical focus of Brown’s work underscores the need for cross-sector discussion among educators, social workers, public safety officials and community advocates.

The event positions Bemidji State’s MLK Day program as a civic space where residents can learn about innovations that may touch county operations. Service providers and families will have a chance to assess whether AI tools align with local priorities for rehabilitation, prevention and community-based supports. Voters and local policymakers who set spending and oversight parameters will be able to follow the conversation as it unfolds.

Residents interested in the intersection of technology and youth services can attend the Jan. 19 session to hear directly about proposed tools and to raise questions about oversight, equity and implementation. The discussion could help shape how Beltrami County and its partners approach any future pilots or funding decisions related to AI in human services.