New pilot will see offenders complete remote video check-ins
Offenders could soon be answering to artificial intelligence (AI) as the government pilots new tech designed to prevent crimes before they are even committed.
Under the scheme, offenders will be required to complete remote video check-ins on their own mobile devices, alongside existing measures such as GPS tags and in-person probation appointments, as part of a crackdown on reoffending.
The AI-powered system will verify their identity using facial recognition and quiz them on their behaviour and recent activities. Any suspicious answers or attempts to fool the ID checks will trigger an instant red alert to the Probation Service for immediate intervention.
Lord James Timpson, minister for prisons, probation and reducing reoffending, said:
“This new pilot keeps the watchful eye of our probation officers on these offenders wherever they are, helping catapult our analogue justice system into a new digital age. It’s bold ideas like this that are helping us tackle the challenges we face. We are protecting the public, supporting our staff, and making our streets safer as part of our Plan for Change.”
The pilot is running across four the South West, North West, East of England, and Kent, Surrey and Sussex. It could later be expanded nationwide with additional tech features such as GPS location verification.
It forms part of an £8 million drive by the Ministry of Justice to beef up surveillance and make streets safer, following the launch of its new AI Action Plan.
Justice officials have also met with top tech firms to explore more futuristic tools, including AI-powered home monitoring and synthetic brain cells that mimic the human nose to detect illegal drug use.
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