Mapping Innovation

We work to promote the best of Britain’s innovative justice practice.
Glasgow Youth Court
The Glasgow Youth Court is a judicially led problem solving court for 16–24-year-olds, functioning within the Glasgow Sheriff Court.
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Together for Childhood
Together for Childhood is a long-term project that uses a place-based approach in four communities to prevent child abuse.
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Lifelong Links
Lifelong Links is a programme developed by Family Rights Group to connect young people in care to a support network of people who are important to them.
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Child Impact Assessments
The Child Impact Assessment is a framework for understanding more about the impact on a child of having their primary carer in the criminal justice system, and ensuring they are listened to and supported at each stage of the process.
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Glasgow Alcohol Court
Glasgow Alcohol Court was established in 2018 and seeks to reduce the rates of reoffending by supporting individuals who offend with their underlying alcohol issues.
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Glasgow Drug Court
The Glasgow Drug Court aims to reduce drug misuse and related offending. If accepted on the programme, participants must engage in drug treatment, regular drug testing, and court reviews to monitor progress.
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Edinburgh Alcohol Problem-Solving Court
The Edinburgh APSC is aimed at adult men with a pattern of low-level alcohol-related offending. They receive a community order incorporating addiction treatment, regular judicial reviews and support with additional needs.
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The Best Services Trial (BeST?)
The Best Services Trial is an ongoing trial of the New Orleans Intervention Model which aims to improve the long-term mental health and placement stability of infants in foster or kinship care through clinical intervention.
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Whole System Approach to Youth Offending in Scotland
The Whole System Approach (WSA) uses an early intervention approach to divert young people away from the criminal justice system and invites agencies to work together to achieve better outcomes.
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Aberdeen Problem-Solving Approach
Aberdeen Problem-Solving Approach (PSA) seeks to reduce the use of short custodial sentences by providing disposals to women and young men with complex needs and multiple previous convictions.
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REACH Scotland
REACH provides intensive multidisciplinary support to families with children who are experiencing multiple complex needs.
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Structured Deferred Sentence in Lanarkshire
A Structured Deferred Sentence (SDS) is an interim disposal option established at the Hamilton and Lanark Sheriff Courts for 16-21 year olds who are not suitable for remittance back to the Children’s Hearings System.
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The Intervention for Vulnerable Youth (IVY) Project
The IVY Project uses a multi-disciplinary approach to provide risk formulation, assessment and intervention for young people who present with complex needs and high risk, violent behaviour.
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This map charts innovative projects happening across the UK’s justice systems. You can search and filter the projects to find things that are most interesting to you.

The Centre for Justice Innovation regularly engages with practitioners to find out what’s exciting them in the world of justice. We want to know what projects practitioners are running that they are most proud of and, just as importantly, the ones a few counties away that are inspiring them.

We are expanding the map so that it not only includes innovations in criminal justice, but also in public family law and the child welfare system. We are keen to hear from practitioners from across the UK about new and exciting initiatives that we can add in all areas. If you would like your work to be included, please get in touch. 

Before you get in touch, please be aware that in order to be included on our map we require that your project:

  • is led by, delivered in partnership or commissioned by a statutory agency;
  • can demonstrate improved outcomes. In criminal justice, this might be for victims or service-users, or in family justice, for parents and children.
  • is innovative! By that we mean, it is trying something new in your locality or for that particular target group.