With the government intent on bringing AI into the probation world as soon as possible, we clearly need to keep up with what is being planned. This looks like something we need to watch carefully:-
Welcome to the Justice AI Unit blog
Welcome to the first blog post from the Justice AI Unit, a new team in the Ministry of Justice created to lead the safe and effective adoption of artificial intelligence across justice services.This blog is where we'll share what we're building, what we're learning, and what's coming next. From pilots and partnerships to real-world tools that make work easier, our mission is simple: to use AI to help make justice faster, fairer and more human.
Who we are
The Justice AI Unit was established in late 2024 as part of the government's wider ambition to responsibly scale AI across public services. We're a cross-functional team bringing together product managers, engineers, designers, policy leads and AI specialists to tackle real problems across prisons, probation, back office functions and more.
So far, we've:
- Laid solid foundations to make sure we can pilot and scale AI safely
- Tested our first shared AI tools and services for use across justice
- Launched a Justice AI Fellowship to attract top technical talent
- Partnered with leading companies to provide secure access to powerful LLMs
- Worked with UK startups such as Taught by Humans and Pair, who bring fresh, practical approaches to enabling our people with AI
- Started to train MoJ staff at all levels on how to use AI safely and effectively, with more to come in 2025!
What we're working on
We're delivering AI tools that save time and improve the experience of public service for both staff and the people we support.
For example, we're currently piloting AI transcription and speech tools to help probation officers reduce time spent on admin, so they can focus on building stronger relationships with those they support. We're also rolling out secure AI assistants to help MoJ staff write, summarise and problem-solve more quickly.
We recently took part in the cross-government Microsoft 365 Copilot pilot, working with DWP, DSIT and others to explore the role of generative AI in day-to-day civil service work. You can read more about the findings here.
And we're scaling these tools so that everyone across the justice system can benefit.
What makes us different
Before joining MoJ, I worked on pandemic response as a No.10 Innovation Fellow. My project was to see if we could use wastewater (yes, measuring sewage) to help predict hospital bed demand. It turned out to be a powerful and cost-effective way to track disease. But what made it work was the team: scientists, engineers, designers and policymakers working directly with decision-makers and users in a new way. That's the model we're bringing to justice.
Here's what sets the Justice AI Unit apart:
What to expect from this blog
We'll share regular posts from across the team: updates on what we're building, lessons learned, guest blogs from our partners, and reflections on the bigger questions we're tackling.
If you care about justice, public service or responsible AI, we hope you'll follow along.
We're just getting started.
Dan James
Director of the Justice AI Unit
We're delivering AI tools that save time and improve the experience of public service for both staff and the people we support.
For example, we're currently piloting AI transcription and speech tools to help probation officers reduce time spent on admin, so they can focus on building stronger relationships with those they support. We're also rolling out secure AI assistants to help MoJ staff write, summarise and problem-solve more quickly.
We recently took part in the cross-government Microsoft 365 Copilot pilot, working with DWP, DSIT and others to explore the role of generative AI in day-to-day civil service work. You can read more about the findings here.
And we're scaling these tools so that everyone across the justice system can benefit.
What makes us different
Before joining MoJ, I worked on pandemic response as a No.10 Innovation Fellow. My project was to see if we could use wastewater (yes, measuring sewage) to help predict hospital bed demand. It turned out to be a powerful and cost-effective way to track disease. But what made it work was the team: scientists, engineers, designers and policymakers working directly with decision-makers and users in a new way. That's the model we're bringing to justice.
Here's what sets the Justice AI Unit apart:
- Interdisciplinary teams, co-located and focused. Product, design, engineering, policy, risk and security all sit together, solving problems collaboratively from day one.
- We build with frontline users. Not just designing for them, but working with them. We embed technologists directly in frontline roles, such as probation, to solve the right problems in the right way.
- We move continuously, not in phases. No endless discovery followed by a long wait for delivery. We do continuous discovery and delivery, finding problems, testing fast and improving rapidly.
- We believe in small teams. You don't need a huge team to make an impact. Even a team of two can build and scale the right thing. We are bringing that lean, focused model to government.
What to expect from this blog
We'll share regular posts from across the team: updates on what we're building, lessons learned, guest blogs from our partners, and reflections on the bigger questions we're tackling.
If you care about justice, public service or responsible AI, we hope you'll follow along.
We're just getting started.
Director of the Justice AI Unit
From Twitter:-
ReplyDelete"I am Oldskool and have used AI. It is tremendous at indicating what has been done in supervision. I am not and have never been a typist and what I was doing with people was not in the record as it would take too long to type. That is no longer an issue. 10x and more information."
From Twitter:-
ReplyDelete"I'm part of the AI pilot and can share that we find it fantastic."
Course you do and your on the planning infrastructure team then the roll out team and the local delivery training and then local help and support desk and then seek a promotion. Then you can find something else shit to fuck up our jobs and see staff out of a role. Hopefully ai will sack you too. Idiots .
DeleteHeard it all before. The proof of the pudding………
ReplyDeleteNo it's not grayling went ahead despite all the contrary evidence didn't he. No proof no pudding. Ai will vork vecause ve insist zit vill. Der gruppen mayer vill instucten Der vorker to agree. No doubt the unions are already inside with agreements pre signed Napo. I'm thinking no matter what's said it will be brought in and then increase its function until it controls all it can with a lot less staff.
Delete“We believe in small teams. You don’t need a huge team to make an impact. Even a team of two can build and scale the right thing. We are bringing that lean, focused model to government.”
ReplyDeleteAnd in that quote lies the problem.
Probation doesn’t want or need a “team of two.” It needs more staff. It needs more probation officers. It needs better pay, especially when police and prison staff receive pay rises while probation is left behind. It needs access to proper resources so officers can direct clients to housing, mental health support, and other vital services.
Yes, IT and digital tools have a role to play, but they are part of the solution, not the solution. Selling this minimalist approach as innovation is a gimmick. It’s no different from making a cobbler a justice lord: a distraction from what’s really needed.
This is being presented as a flagship policy, but it’s sleight of hand. And those applauding the rise of AI in public services, let’s see if they’re still clapping when they’re left with a “team of two” and no real support.
"Before joining MoJ, I worked on pandemic response as a No.10 Innovation Fellow."... A proven track record then. The job's yours Dan.
ReplyDeleteWe witnessed the response.....that's a weird flex but there you go.
DeleteHave to wonder if this new blog will actually be produced by a human or an A.I Bot?
ReplyDelete'Getafix
Might be just me, but I haven’t seen this in any of the national newspapers.
ReplyDeleteI don’t suppose it qualifies as media manipulation?
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/prison-service-verge-collapse-over-32195032
I've a feeling that, if my 'talk type' is turned on it's just going to consist of me muttering FFS every 10 minutes....
ReplyDelete