We all know that the criminal justice system is under immense pressure - from mounting backlogs to outdated infrastructure and under-resourced services. To spark bold thinking, we asked four experts a simple but powerful question: If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing in the justice system overnight, what would it be?
Their answers reveal practical, visionary reforms aimed at building a system that works better for everyone.
"For the Government to acknowledge the need to increase resources for the justice system significantly in the short term, to improve the capacity of the courts, the CPS, the defence community and the range of non-prison sentencing options available; and to advocate for a better balance in sentencing between punishment, rehabilitation and public safety, which emphasises the benefits to public safety of rebalancing the system more in favour of rehabilitation over punishment."
"An end-to-end connected data suite so that information about people in the Justice System is available and accessible to those who need it."
"If I could wave a magic wand, I would completely digitise the justice system’s records—eliminating paper across all agencies. This would unlock an integrated, real-time view of data, tailored to the needs and access rights of each stakeholder.
By replacing outdated, manual workflows with a seamless digital infrastructure, we could reduce delays, improve transparency, and enable faster, more informed decision-making: assisting towards the goal of swift access to justice.
It would also lay the foundation for responsibly integrating AI—supporting professionals by automating repetitive tasks and freeing them to focus on the most important, value-adding aspects of their roles.
Beyond efficiency, this shift would also bring significant sustainability benefits—cutting down on paper waste, reducing physical storage needs, reducing needs for transport of paper records, and minimising the environmental footprint of the justice system overall."
"Following JUSTICE’s work on the ongoing Sentencing Review and related research work, I would strongly encourage an evidence-based approach to sentencing with a focus on which options are most effective at reducing reoffending, protecting the public and ensuring the needs of vulnerable offenders and victims alike are met.
It is well established that short custodial sentences are often counterproductive and less effective at reducing reoffending than sentences served in the community. This is likely to be because community-based sentences allow individuals to maintain protective factors in their lives such as family ties, employment, housing or mental health support. Short sentences also allow for less time and opportunity for rehabilitative support and supervision than community-based sentences.
In light of this, I would welcome the introduction of genuine alternatives to custody, designed according to what the evidence has shown is most effective both in our own and in other jurisdictions. In many cases, community-based sentences which focus on holistically supporting an individual and assisting them in moving away from offending, are likely to be more effective than custody and significantly more cost effective in the long term. The delivery of such sentences require a properly funded and functioning probation service."
These responses show that meaningful justice reform doesn’t require magic, just the will to act on what we already know works. From connected data to community-based alternatives to custody, their ideas highlight a path forward that is more humane, more effective, and more future-ready. The question now is: how do we implement it?
Catch up with the talks from Modernising Criminal Justice 2025 here, for practical implementation ideas from the rest of our speakers.