Crime news: practitioners needed to shape digital defence portal
Further opportunities to help develop how you will work digitally with the prosecution and courts.
Defence practitioners have the chance to help develop a new defence portal which will be your route into a unified digital criminal case management system.
This system is known as the ‘Common Platform’ and you can register your interest by email – see below.
You would be helping yourself and your colleagues by ensuring that the system works as well as possible for digital practitioners.
How will the ‘Common Platform’ work?
The ‘Common Platform’ allows defence practitioners to:
- access essential criminal case information
- interact with the prosecution and courts
- download initial disclosure of the prosecution case (IDPC)
Who is responsible for this work?
The Criminal Justice System Common Platform Programme (CJSCPP) is a joint initiative between Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
What would my role be?
Each week a new research activity is set and an update provided outlining the outcome of the previous week’s research. A number of practitioners have already made valuable contributions.
This has involved taking part in focus groups and workshops, providing feedback on prototype screens, testing software and allowing developers to observe them at work.
What are the benefits?
The advantage is that the user is put at the centre of the system’s design. So, software can be created which is focused on the practitioner’s needs.
Speaking to users is the only way of:
- ensuring the system is being developed in a way that will work for you
- checking whether changes should be made
By helping with the programme you will receive regular updates on what has been developed so far and see demonstrations of the software as it evolves.
What to do now
Use the email link below to register your interest.
Further information
CJSCPComms@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk – register your interest in the programme or send questions or send feedback about the defence portal.
Defence portal development GOV.UK article – 2 September 2015