Overview

• On July 1 the Ministry of Justice hosted its second “innovation den,” where seven finalist firms pitched devices ranging from AI home-monitoring cameras to synthetic-nose wands
• Proposals include smell detectors to spot drugs such as spice in cells or community settings and Apple Watch-style bracelets for GPS tracking and offender rehabilitation nudges
• Some companies suggested AI-driven behavior monitoring, driverless transport concepts for prisoner movement and software tools to automate probation administration
• These pilots build on earlier MoJ-Tech UK meetings that explored subcutaneous tracking implants and robotics for managing offenders outside traditional prison walls
• Human rights groups warn that pervasive sensor networks and predictive technologies risk invasive surveillance and could breach civil liberties