Mapping Innovation

We work to promote the best of Britain’s innovative justice practice.
Glasgow Youth Court
The Glasgow Youth Court is a judicially led problem solving court for 16–24-year-olds, functioning within the Glasgow Sheriff Court.
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Swindon Youth Justice Service’s Child First Approach
We spoke to Michael O’Connor, Swindon’s Youth and Community Transformation Lead, about their Child First approach to Youth Justice and identity development for desistance model.
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Boxing Clever
Boxing Clever ​​​​​​​addresses issues such as increasing youth violence and the exploitation of young people in Milton Keynes by giving young people access to tools, support and passion for sport and aims to create a more connected community by breaking down postcode barriers.
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Right Hook Project
“Not just ring champions, but life champions.”
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DIVERT
This voluntary referral scheme takes a public health and educational approach to the use of drugs. It is used as a method of diversion away from criminal sanctions for those caught in ‘simple possession’ of controlled drugs.
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Youth Order Review Panels
Out-of-court reviews of Youth Rehabilitation Orders provide an opportunity for magistrates to encourage and support children on YROs and promotes a collaborative approach between the youth offending service and magistracy.
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Triage, Young Hackney’s Prevention & Diversion
The Triage scheme provides diversionary out of court interventions to young people that are tailored to their needs and interests and includes continued support for the young person.
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Early Action Together (EAT)
The EAT programme is a police-led initiative in Wales that seeks to establish a multi-agency approach to tackling offending behaviour by identifying and supporting people who have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences.
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Whole System Approach to Youth Offending in Scotland
The Whole System Approach (WSA) uses an early intervention approach to divert young people away from the criminal justice system and invites agencies to work together to achieve better outcomes.
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Aberdeen Problem-Solving Approach
Aberdeen Problem-Solving Approach (PSA) seeks to reduce the use of short custodial sentences by providing disposals to women and young men with complex needs and multiple previous convictions.
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LYFT (Lewisham Youth Offending Service Family Therapy Team)
LYFT has created a unified and localised service that delivers an integrative home/community-based model of family therapy to children and young people between 11-18 years and their families.
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REACH Scotland
REACH provides intensive multidisciplinary support to families with children who are experiencing multiple complex needs.
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Structured Deferred Sentence in Lanarkshire
A Structured Deferred Sentence (SDS) is an interim disposal option established at the Hamilton and Lanark Sheriff Courts for 16-21 year olds who are not suitable for remittance back to the Children’s Hearings System.
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Break4Change
Break4Change is a programme designed to help parents/carers and children who are involved in Child-to-Parent Abuse and aims to reduce parents’ sense of isolation and the young person’s feelings of entitlement.
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18-25 Diversion scheme
This scheme diverts young people aged 18-25 away from the criminal justice system and into interventions and support to help address their underlying issues and prevent future offending.
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Complex Youth Scheme
The Complex Youth Scheme was established to provide an early intervention scheme for young people in contact with the criminal justice system to try to tackle issues before they become embedded.
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Project Future
Project Future is a coproduced holistic well-being and mental health service that is community-based and works with young people and families who have experience in the criminal justice system (CJS).
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This map charts innovative projects happening across the UK’s justice systems. You can search and filter the projects to find things that are most interesting to you.

The Centre for Justice Innovation regularly engages with practitioners to find out what’s exciting them in the world of justice. We want to know what projects practitioners are running that they are most proud of and, just as importantly, the ones a few counties away that are inspiring them.

We are expanding the map so that it not only includes innovations in criminal justice, but also in public family law and the child welfare system. We are keen to hear from practitioners from across the UK about new and exciting initiatives that we can add in all areas. If you would like your work to be included, please get in touch. 

Before you get in touch, please be aware that in order to be included on our map we require that your project:

  • is led by, delivered in partnership or commissioned by a statutory agency;
  • can demonstrate improved outcomes. In criminal justice, this might be for victims or service-users, or in family justice, for parents and children.
  • is innovative! By that we mean, it is trying something new in your locality or for that particular target group.