Tech's Role in Transforming Criminal Justice Services

In the run-up to Modernising Criminal Justice 2024, we’ve asked our expert speakers to share their thoughts on technology in the sector. Speakers were asked, "How do you envision technology playing a pivotal role in transforming and modernising criminal justice processes, and what specific advancements do you believe are most crucial for the sector's improvement?"

Simi O’Neil, Head of Probation Inspection Programme, HM Inspectorate of Probation

There are many developments that have taken place over the past few years that haven’t been incorporated into the changes in probation. The assessment tool is many years old and while a new system is being developed it will take a while before this is implemented. One of the critical improvements that can be made is a joint multiagency information sharing system to allow information sharing to take place effectively, efficiently and swiftly.

Rob Marsh, Probation Officer at HMPPS

The ambition to use technology effectively and help practitioners make informed decisions more quickly and efficiently, has to be encouraged, freeing up time to enable their engagement skills to be employed to develop positive and productive relationships with people on probation. However, with benefits come risks and AI for example could provide systemic challenges which will need to be navigated. If the admin burden could be reduced and the prison and probation IT systems could align this would further support engagement and the potential of using technology to advantage people on probation such as the deployment of an app would be welcomed. However, the modernising journey is unlikely to be straightforward. 

Join us for Modernising Criminal Justice 2024 on the 6th of June at the QEII Conference Centre in London, to hear further discussions on the future of probation alongside other key topics and the latest technological advances in the field.