Building Better Justice Together: People, Partnerships and Technology in Scotland

Scotland’s justice system is navigating a period of strain, marked by rising demand and the need to balance immediate pressures with longer-term reform. Prison numbers continue to increase and remand is placing additional strain on already stretched capacity, while rehabilitation remains a central priority.

Amid these challenges, there is growing recognition that progress will come not from quick fixes but from collaboration between justice agencies, health and housing providers, educators, technology partners and the people most directly affected.

Unilink has been part of that collaborative effort in Scotland for over a decade, supporting the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and justice partners with technology designed for custodial and probation environments. The aim is not to replace human relationships or frontline expertise, but to strengthen them by easing administrative pressure and giving individuals clearer access to support.

Progress in practice

Family contact is a priority. In 2020, working with Unilink, the service rolled out secure video sessions across all Scottish prisons. Free of charge to users, these sessions complement in-person visits and have now supported over 100,000 calls since their introduction. Video calls enable people in custody to maintain vital connections with families and communities, supporting wellbeing and reducing risks linked to reoffending.

At HMP Addiwell and HMP Kilmarnock, residents use digital systems to check balances, make requests and order food. Kilmarnock in particular has shown the long-term value of these tools. For several years under Serco management, Unilink provided and ran the digital services that made the prison one of the most advanced establishments in Scotland. When responsibility transferred to SPS, those same systems continued to provide stability, supporting staff and residents through the change and ensuring uninterrupted access to key services.

Technology as an enabler

Unilink’s Custodial Management System (CMS) underpins daily prison operations, supporting safety and accountability while strengthening operational security. By digitising processes that were once paper-based, CMS saves time and reduces error, enabling officers to focus on engagement rather than routine administration.

The Alert, Intervene, Monitor (AIM) tool, integrated within the CMS, gives staff an additional lens on resident wellbeing and safety.

By analysing patterns in self-service use, AIM can highlight potential risks linked to self-harm or suicide, allowing early intervention. With overcrowding and rising mental health needs placing greater pressure on staff, AIM helps surface risks earlier and direct resources where they are most needed. These insights do not replace professional judgement but equip staff with better information to make timely, targeted decisions.

Together, these tools illustrate how digital platforms can relieve strain on overstretched services, giving staff more time to focus on what matters most: engagement and rehabilitation.

Collaboration for long-term change

Unilink’s work in Scotland is rooted in partnership with SPS, with academic researchers and increasingly with organisations representing lived experience. Rehabilitation cannot succeed in isolation: housing, healthcare, education and community support all play essential roles in preventing reoffending.

Technology is only one part of the picture, but it can act as the connector, ensuring information follows the person, not just the institution. By strengthening coordination between agencies, digital platforms help create smoother transitions from custody into the community, reducing the risks that come with fragmented services.

Looking ahead

The challenges facing Scotland’s justice system are well known, but so too are the opportunities. By working together across agencies and sectors, Scotland can move towards a justice model that is more connected and delivers fairer outcomes.

Unilink continues to work alongside SPS and partners to build a justice system that is connected and focused on people. The aim is not simply to deliver technology, but to support Scotland’s wider justice reform by strengthening relationships, improving outcomes and easing pressure where it is most acute.

We invite you to continue this conversation at the Digital Justice & Policing event on 23rd October, where you’ll hear from frontline practitioners and people with lived experience on how to build a justice system that works for everyone.