How effective use of data could support a seamless customer experience across the Criminal Justice landscape

Imagine a world where you are facing many challenges and making poor choices. One of them leads to you entering the Criminal Justice system. It’s your first time. You are angry and afraid. The Officers arresting you are professional and firm as they take you into custody.

You are at the start of the process and you have very little control of it as a defendant. Your life is in the hands of strangers and the first decision maker is the custody officer who treats you with kindness and respect but does not know you. You are asked about yourself, your circumstances, and you realise that they actually do know things about you and tailor their interactions and questions accordingly. This gives you confidence, so you share more with them, and as a result you undergo an assessment for your mental health and other health challenges. This is the first time anyone has ever asked you about your health and wellbeing and additionally supports you in getting the help you need – you feel cared for, and more willing to cooperate. It’s tough to share such personal information with strangers and you’re relieved that you only need to share it once and, with your consent, every other part of the system whether supportive or judging has this relevant information to be fair and caring.

Your court case is swift and smooth, you feel well informed and treated with respect throughout. You receive a short prison sentence, despite your mitigation, but you understand why and due to the transparency of the process feel this is fair. By the time you arrive at the prison, you are met by Officers who already know a lot about you and a scary moment becomes less so. You are not made to repeat information as they understand your needs and how to support you effectively. You are automatically enrolled in health and education programmes based on your personal needs.

When you leave prison, you are supported in restarting your life, equipped with skills and given access to support to integrate back into society. Utilising user-friendly technology, you are sent reminders of check ins which can be done remotely, and connected to agencies, people and groups to help you make better choices at times of risk.

This may feel far from reality for you as the reader, but this is the experience I would want for anyone that I knew facing this situation. The golden thread through this is ‘Connected Justice’ and surely this must be the ambition of any Justice system. One which is enabled by technology that puts participants and their needs at the centre of a transparent process. A seamless user experience from start to finish and beyond. It is achievable.

What do we need to do to make this a reality? There are two critical elements - culture, and data sharing.

There needs to be a culture of confidence and trust between agencies that supports transparent data sharing. A culture which is supportive and focused on fairness, integrity, and care, where the individual is at the heart of the process. Where staff from end to end across the agencies have the tools and time, to provide a service to each individual and Justice as a whole. Anyadditional staffing costs should be offset by using technology to increase efficiency and remove duplication.

The vision, at a minimum, must be to develop a connected data sharing service across all agencies who have a role in Criminal Justice.  With time and care it could be widened to include Health, Education, local authorities, and charities. This wider ecosystem of connected insight could put the emphasis firmly on tackling recidivism and reducing crime rates.

The agencies are, I believe, ready to make that a reality and technology providers have the tools to support them in this journey. Now is the time to work together to make it happen.

Georgina Henley

Head of Justice and Emergency Services, techUK

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Georgina Henley

Head of Justice and Emergency Services, techUK

Georgie joined techUK as the Justice and Emergency Services Programme Manager in March 2020.

Georgie is dedicated to representing suppliers by creating a voice for those who are selling into blue lights and the justice system, but also by helping them in navigating this market. Georgie is committed to creating a platform for collaboration, from engaging with industry and stakeholders to understand the latest innovations, to the role tech can play in responding to a range of issues our justice and emergency services are facing 

Prior to joining techUK, Georgie managed a Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) in Westminster. She worked closely with the Metropolitan Police and London borough councils to prevent and reduce the impact of crime on the business community. Her work ranged from the impact of low-level street crime and anti-social behaviour on the borough, to critical incidents and violent crime.

Email:

[email protected]

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgie-henley/

Georgina Maratheftis

Associate Director, Local Public Services, techUK

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Georgina Maratheftis

Associate Director, Local Public Services, techUK

Georgina is techUK’s Associate Director for Local Public Services

Georgina works with suppliers that are active or looking to break into the market as well as with local public services to create the conditions for meaningful transformation. techUK regularly bring together local public services and supplier community to horizon scan and explore how the technologies of today and tomorrow can help solve some of the most pressing problems our communities face and improve outcomes for our people and places.

Prior to techUK, Georgina worked for a public policy events company where she managed the policy briefing division and was responsible for generating new ideas for events that would add value to the public sector. Georgina worked across a number of portfolios from education, criminal justice, and health but had a particular interest in public sector transformation and technology. Georgina also led on developing relationships across central and local government.

If you’d like to learn more about techUK, or want to get involved, get in touch.

Email:

[email protected]

Phone:

020 7331 2029

Twitter:

@GeorginaMarath

Website:

www.techuk.org/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgina-maratheftis-0a002a102/

Raya Tsolova

Programme Manager, National Security, techUK

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Raya Tsolova

Programme Manager, National Security, techUK

Raya Tsolova is the Programme Manager for National Security at techUK. 

Raya is responsible for all National Security related activities across techUK, specifically in the established programmes of Defence, Cyber Security and Justice & Emergency Services. Raya will leverage relationships with existing stakeholders across the three programmes, and will build new relationships between techUK and key stakeholders who are of interest to member companies. 

Prior to joining techUK, Raya worked in Business Development for an expert network firm within the institutional investment space. Before this Raya spent a year in industry working for a tech start-up in London as part of their Growth team which included the formation and development of a 'Let's Talk Tech' podcast and involvement in London Tech Week. 

Raya has a degree in Politics and International Relations (Bsc Hons) from the University of Bath where she focused primarily on national security and counter-terrorism policies, centreing research on female-led terrorism and specific approaches to justice there. 

Outside of work, Raya's interests include baking, spin classes and true-crime Netflix shows! 

Email:

[email protected]

Phone:

07712630603