The digital technology company, Scrumconnect Consulting, has secured a £12.75 million contract with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to exclusively supply and look after its Common Platform. This digital tool serves as the single platform for managing criminal court cases across England and Wales. The contract heralds a significant step in the evolution of the justice system, with this digital platform being a principal conduit for case material access for all stakeholders including the police, judiciary, lawyers and criminal justice agencies.
Scrumconnect Consulting's remit will extend to maintaining the Common Platform and integrating advanced automation functionalities to enhance data sharing and accuracy. The platform's role aims to aid both court and tribunal users and the staff who work in the justice system.
On 7th December 2023, it was officially announced that Scrumconnect Consulting had been awarded a two-year digital transformation services contract by His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). This contract appoints Scrumconnect Consulting as the sole supplier for the Common Platform, marking the pathway towards a total transformation of how the criminal justice system utilises, manages and shares data.
This forms a central component of HMCTS's Service Reform Programme, which is focused on bettering courts and tribunals for their users and workers. As of August 2023, both the Crown and Magistrates' courts leverage the Common Platform, facilitating a smoother, faster information exchange among all those participating in criminal justice cases. The Common Platform became the centralized online location from which all relevant case materials could be accessed by stakeholders, accommodating data from arrest to trial and including those found guilty or under the prison and probation service.
By 1 October 2023, the Common Platform was handling over 500,000 cases and had successfully managed more than 860,000 hearings in the Crown and Magistrates' court. Scrumconnect Consulting's responsibility will be to supervise the platform and design novel automation features to further augment the sharing of information and precision of data across the judicial system.
Praveen Karadiguddi, CEO at Scrumconnect Consulting expressed his excitement, saying, "Scrumconnect Consulting is excited to be expanding its relationship with HMCTS, as we continue to be at the forefront of delivering user-centric services across government." He highlighted the pivotal role of the Common Platform in HMCTS's ambitious scheme to update the criminal court system. He added, "We look forward to playing an important role in delivering a robust platform that makes it easy for accurate and up-to-date information to be accessed across the judicial system."