MoJ pilots AI-powered facial scanning to monitor offenders remotely

The Ministry of Justice has unveiled a new pilot programme that uses artificial intelligence and mobile phone technology to keep closer tabs on offenders in the community - part of a wider £8 million effort to reduce reoffending.

Under the scheme, offenders in four probation regions - the South West, North West, East of England, and Kent, Surrey and Sussex - will be required to use their own mobile devices for remote check-ins. They will record short video selfies, which are verified using AI-powered facial recognition, and respond to behaviour-related questions.

Any attempt to evade identity checks or any “concerning” answers will trigger an immediate alert to the Probation Service, at which point enabling officers will intervene.

Lord Timpson OBE, Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, said the technology would help bring the justice system into the digital age. “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,” he said.

“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 technology complements existing measures such as GPS tagging and in-person appointments with probation officers. If successful, ministers say the programme could be expanded and enhanced with additional capabilities, including GPS location verification.

The pilot follows the launch of the Ministry of Justice’s AI Action Plan and recent engagement with technology firms on ways to strengthen monitoring, from AI-powered home surveillance to synthetic bio-sensors capable of detecting drug use.