MoJ announces face scanning pilot to monitor offenders and reduce crime
12/09/2025 | UK Government
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced a new pilot programme intended to improve how the Probation Service monitors offenders. The initiative would involve offenders using their own mobile devices for remote check-in surveillance. As part of the tough new measure, the system will require offenders to record short videos of themselves for artificial intelligence (AI) to confirm their identity. They will also have to answer questions about their behaviour and recent activities. The government claims that any attempts to thwart the AI matching or concerning answers will trigger an instant “red alert” for the Probation Service, helping to prevent crimes before they happen. The latest proposals are designed to supplement existing licence conditions measures, which include GPS tagging and mandatory in-person meetings with probation officers.
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