Digital technology has already transformed the way we live and work. The emergence of new digital infrastructures, such as wifi networks, mobile devices and positioning technologies, means that wherever we go we are now constantly computing, using smart phones or tablet computers to find out where we are, send texts and emails, read the news and watch our favourite television programmes. The emergence of social media means that people can now proactively create, publish and communicate online.
These technologies offer the prospect that we can ‘do government’ differently. Already, the coalition has embraced this with its ‘open data’ agenda, trying to put as much public data as possible in re-useable formats online. Transparency should make government more accountable and facilitate the development of new websites and applications which can make public services more responsive.
The Ministry of Justice and the Home Office have been leading the way with the publication of online crime maps and the launch of the http://open.justice.gov.uk/site, which enables users to compare the sentence lengths handed down by different courts around the country. In large part, these initiatives represent an attempt to address weak public confidence in the fields of work handled by these departments: most of the public think that sentencing is too lenient, and that the criminal justice system does not deliver speedy and effective justice. Research shows that when the public are exposed to the data, opinions can shift – and this has prompted ministers in these departments to make targeted transparency a priority.
Being able to access relevant and up-to-date information is also crucially important for those hurt by crime. Recent research by Victim Support has found that victims who receive regular updates on the progress of their case are much more likely to have confidence in the criminal justice system than those who receive little or no information. Communication is crucial to the quality of service received by victims of crime received – yet the Victim Support research found that 58 per cent of victims who reported the incident(s) to police were not given any updates on case progression.
In light of this, IPPR investigated whether through open data and better use of digital technology the criminal justice agencies could improve victim satisfaction. In our report Open Justice we found that most of the data available online about the operation of the criminal justice system, including financial and performance data, is of limited practical use to most victims of crime. Crime maps let people know how much crime there is in their local area, but most victims could not see how this benefited them directly. What victims found most frustrating was the fact that it’s almost impossible to access meaningful data that shows the full journey from a crime being committed to justice being served. The courts in particular publish very little information on the cases they are dealing with and their outcomes.
We recommend a number of innovations that would help keep victims better informed. Every police force in England and Wales should develop a crime-tracking app to enable all victims in their area to follow their case through the system. The courts and the Crown Prosecution Service should work with the police locally to ensure that data is shared and that victims can follow their case all the way from reporting an incident to the outcome of court proceedings and beyond. Crime maps should be made interactive, and display real-time information: if people can get current information about what’s happening in their area, they could avoid the area or watch out for offenders – changing this transparency and accountability initiative into a tool for reducing crime and boosting conviction rates.
The criminal justice agencies should systematically refer victims to online peer support networks where they exist. Where they do not, independent victim support organisations – such as Victim Support – should help to set up such forums and recruit members. The courts should become more accessible and transparent by publishing details online of the cases they are dealing with, including the judgments reached.
The effectiveness of the criminal justice system depends on the public’s confidence in it. Given that so much of that confidence is linked to information and communication, new technology should enable us to develop a more transparent, accessible and responsive criminal justice system with victims at its heart.
Rick Muir is the associate director for public service reform at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR)