Policy paper

HMPPS Digital, Data & Technology Strategy: What to expect in 2021/22

Published 15 June 2021

Applies to England and Wales

1. Foreword

1.1 Foreword by Dr Jo Farrar, Second Permanent Secretary, MoJ and Chief Executive, HMPPS

We publish our 2021/22 strategy in a time like no other. After a year living through the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to modernise HMPPS estates and technology is more pressing than ever.

We want services that are fit for the internet era, that meet the expectations of people that use them and work on them, and allow us to better adapt to the need for remote working, learning and relationships.

As we support HMPPS to modernise our estates and technology, our challenge is not what to do but where to start first. We have worked hard with senior leaders across HMPPS and MoJ on where to focus our efforts to make sure this strategy enables our move from recovery into reform through the Prison and Probation Reform Programmes.

We are really pleased to share with you our strategic priorities and plans for the next financial year (2020/21).

HMPPS staff have put up with outdated devices and systems for far too long. Staff need modern technology that makes working easier and more collaborative.

Starting this year, we will be replacing ‘Quantum’ with MoJ Official - an up to date, secure, modern laptop or desktop with a consistent suite of software enabling efficient communication and collaboration with colleagues across the MoJ.

Our video conferencing across the justice system has been inconsistent and in the future, where face-to-face meetings are not possible, we want easy to access and easy to use video conferencing available for everyone - including interactions with prisoners. We will start working on making that happen now.

The people we care for have had limited access to digital tools and technology to maintain relationships and support their rehabilitation. This year we will continue putting phones in cells in closed prisons, and start our journey towards prisoners in closed prisons having access to digital devices such as laptops and tablets.

We have been overly reliant on costly systems (such as NOMIS, Delius and Oasys). These systems are not tailored to the needs of HMPPS staff and the people in our care and limit our autonomy and ability to transform services in the way we want to.

Our long term goal is to replace these systems with a suite of digital services that are simpler, clearer and faster to use. We will start with a handful of services in prison this year. For probation we are prioritising key services needed ahead of probation unification.

There is a lot of exciting work to be done and we know we have only just scratched the surface. We look forward to collaborating with you this year to make these plans happen.

2. Strategic objectives

2.1 Our 2024 vision

1. Provide staff with up to date IT equipment and applications, so they can work effectively, efficiently and collaboratively.
2. Replace legacy systems with simpler, clearer, faster digital services, allowing staff to focus more time on the individual and their needs, rather than the administration of their case.
3. Give people in our care the digital tools & technology to support their rehabilitation.
4. Make video conferencing accessible to everyone, building rehabilitative relationships for people in prison & on probation, their families & friends and staff supporting them.
5. Capture, store and share high quality data across our services leading to better and faster decision-making about people in our care.

2.2 Our 2021/22 commitments

Provide staff with up to date IT equipment and applications, so they can work effectively, efficiently and collaboratively

1. Start to deliver the Prison Technology Transformation Programme (PTTP) and roll out MoJ Official. By June 21 we will have rolled this out to 2000 colleagues in HQ.
2. Start to roll out new laptops, desktops and other technology for staff in prisons. By December 21 we will have rolled this out to 14 prisons.
3. Start to safely move off Quantum and onto Cloud based platforms in our prisons, making IT accessible, flexible and cost effective.
4. Start to standardise IT applications such as ensuring everyone has Microsoft Teams to make work more efficient and collaborative for all staff.
5. Improve the IT service desk, ensuring staff get the technical support they need to use new IT services.

Replace legacy systems with simpler, clearer, faster digital services

1. Develop a long term strategy for replacing existing systems by 2024 such as NOMIS, Oasys & Delius.
2. Redesign how we create a prisoner record, issue licences and calculate sentences.
3. Continue to grow and improve our live services such as the digital Prisoner Escort Service and Manage a Prison Offender Manager (POM) case services.
4. Scope the digital provision for facilities management.
5. Develop a plan for and start delivering digital education in prisons.
6. Implement key functionality and infrastructure that staff need ahead of probation unification.
7. Redesign how we find, book and manage interventions for people on probation.
8. Redesign how we assess risk and prepare a case for sentence for people on probation.
9. Redesign our end-to-end sentence management, including how we plan, monitor and enforce community sentences.

Give people in our care the digital tools & technology to support their rehabilitation

1. Continue the programme to put phones in cells in closed prisons.
2. Start our journey to ensure every prisoner in closed prisons has access to a laptop or tablet by implementing in-cell technology in 9 prisons.
3. Roll out in-cell technology in the whole Youth Custody Estate to improve conditions for young people.
4. Scope how we give people on probation a role in their sentence using digital & technology.

Make video conferencing accessible to everyone in prison and probation to build rehabilitative relationships

1. Reprocure prison video calling software and redesign a more effective and efficient visits booking service.
2. Reprocure video conferencing in probation and design a more effective and efficient way to manage remote supervision.
3. Develop an integrated video conferencing strategy across HMPPS including wider MOJ.

Capture, store and share high quality data across our services leading to better and faster decision-making

1. Develop a digital product that supports Governors by providing data insights to manage prisons.
2. Implement data standards across all our digital product teams so that we can harness the power of data we have, reduce the burden on staff to duplicate data entries and improve the quality of the data we collect and share.
3. Embed data insights into our digital services to enable staff to make better and faster decisions.
4. Ensure everyone’s data is safe through embedding the right governance and data protection training.

3. Next steps

MoJ Digital & Technology teams work in collaboration with HMPPS and policy and other colleagues in MOJ to deliver this strategy.

Want to get involved? You may want to consider:

• Becoming a Digital Prison Champion by emailing DigitalChampions@digital.justice.gov.uk
• If you want to support us to develop the right digital services you can get involved in research that is relevant to your job.

We will share progress on the delivery of this strategy throughout the year.