A new IT pilot that aims to reduce inefficiency in the criminal justice system is under way.
The pilot, in Airdrie, Scotland, ensures that justice is served by seeing that the right people get to court, saving thousands in the process.
The Court Door Listing Pilot will use technology to compare lists of those due to appear in court and those in custody in a bid to cut down ‘no shows’.
From analysis undertaken in 2010, the Scottish Prison Service found that around 3% of court hearings did not have the accused present as they were in prison custody.
In Scotland alone, the estimated cost of ‘no shows’ to the Police, the Crown Office and the Scottish Court Service is around £3.5m each year.
The Airdrie pilot is being run by criminal justice partner organisations including the Scottish Government, the Crown Office and the Scottish Court Service to improve the sharing of information between the various parts of Scotland’s criminal justice system, increasing efficiency and effectiveness.
Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “We are working to create a modern justice system that is fair, accessible and efficient and better meets the needs of the people of Scotland. I am hopeful that this pilot can be rolled out across the country to reduce court case times and cut wasted time and money.”
When the Court Door Listing Pilot was run in Glasgow, the Scottish Government invested £250,000 in hardware and software and the results showed that the investment was paid for in five weeks through improving information sharing that would allow the accused to be brought from prison on the day.