The UK government is calling on the country’s top tech firms to help modernise the justice system and drive down crime rates as part of a major push to harness AI and digital innovation in law enforcement.
A roundtable convened this month by the Ministry of Justice brought together around 30 tech companies – including Microsoft, Google, Amazon Web Services, and Cognizant – to explore how cutting-edge technologies could support courts, prisons, and probation services.
The meeting marked the first formal dialogue between government justice ministers and the tech sector on justice reform.
The initiative is part of the Labour government’s wider “Plan for Change” and builds on recent research showing existing technologies, like electronic curfew tags, can reduce reoffending by up to 20%.
Ministers now want to take this further by using advanced analytics and AI to improve risk assessments, offender monitoring and rehabilitation support.
Julian David, CEO of TechUK, the trade body hosting the roundtable, said technology can help build a smarter, more efficient justice system and reduce reoffending by providing digital tools that support offender reintegration.
Microsoft’s Amanda Sleight emphasised the importance of applying AI ethically, while reducing administrative burdens on staff so they can focus on frontline work.
The government now plans a follow-up event where companies will pitch their solutions more formally, with the goal of embedding innovative technologies across the justice system.
