AI to play bigger role in efforts to tackle court delays
The Government has announced plans to develop artificial intelligence tools to support legal professionals and court staff as part of efforts to reduce delays in the criminal justice system.
Under proposals set to be unveiled today at London Tech Week, AI legal assistants will be developed to help with routine casework, including legal research and case analysis, while judges are expected to trial technology designed to identify trial-ready cases and group similar hearings together.
The Ministry of Justice said the technology could help speed up the progression of cases through the Crown Court and reduce waiting times for victims. The measures form part of wider efforts to address a backlog of more than 80,000 cases in England and Wales.
Before being used in the Crown Court, the new technology will first be trialled in highly controlled environments that set clear standards for safe and ethical use. This will ensure any new software meets the required standard.
For policing, the changes could have implications for the management of investigations, victim care and officer time, particularly if cases reach court more quickly and require fewer administrative interventions.
The announcement comes amid wider debate about the use of artificial intelligence across the criminal justice system. Earlier this month, police forces in England and Wales were advised to pause some uses of commercially available AI tools in criminal justice processes while standards and safeguards are developed.