The management summary of the plan says as follows:

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform our justice system in England & Wales and deliver our ministerial priorities. AI shows great potential to help deliver swifter, fairer, and more accessible justice for all – reducing court backlogs, increasing prison capacity and improving rehabilitation outcomes […].

This AI Action Plan for Justice sets out the Ministry of Justice’s approach to responsible and proportionate AI adoption across courts, tribunals, prisons probation and supporting services (referred to here as the justice system). […] It complements wider government efforts to safely modernise public services and builds on the UK’s global strengths in legal services, data science, and AI innovation.”

The implementation of the plan will start in short time and this only three years after a research and analysis in prisons of England and Wales which stated that “Reading education is not given sufficient priority in the prison regime”, or, “Much education provision was not organised in a way that supports prisoners to improve their reading”, or “the curriculum was not well designed to improve reading”. The results culminate in the statement that “prisoners with the greatest need to improve their reading generally received the least support”. Will the AI Action Plan really benefit the incarcerated persons? Make up your own mind about it!

Download the whole Action Plan here.

Download the research report from 2022 on education in prison here.