This report highlights a number of emerging technologies that are beginning to reshape how the justice system impacts the daily lives of the public. This report explores the potential impact of those technologies— for both good or ill— in making our justice system fairer and more effective. Moreover, we explore, by examining public attitudes, whether these technological developments will shift how citizens perceive and relate to the institutions within the justice system.
Specifically, we look at:
- ‘Big data’, data analytics and facial recognition surveillance in crime prevention and policing;
- The use of online tools to expand legal advice;
- The use of online and video technology in criminal courts;
- Artificial intelligence, machine learning, decision making and risk assessment;
- Electronic monitoring in offender supervision.
Our goal is to get practitioners and policy-makers thinking about the benefits, the risks and public attitudes to these technologies now, as these technologies are being spread more widely.
This work has been generously funded by the Hadley Trust and the Monument Trust.