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AI could help with data overload – DPP's office

A three-year strategy for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) includes a commitment to invest in its digital and data capabilities.

Writing in the document, DPP Catherine Pierse said that the office had experienced “significant increased demands” on its service, with a marked rise in activity levels across all criminal court jurisdictions.

The Strategy Statement 2025-2027 comes as the  office marks 50 years since its establishment in 1975.

It sets out three strategic goals for the office:

• Driving excellence and high professional standards,
• Maintaining public confidence in the criminal prosecution service, and
• Building a culture of innovation and collaboration to support service improvements in the criminal-justice system.

Delays

The DPP said that she was conscious of the pressures and delays that existed across the criminal-justice system in progressing cases from complaint to finalisation, and of the impact on all of those involved.

“It will be necessary for all of us in the criminal-justice system to work together to effectively respond to the reform challenges that lie ahead, and to improve the experiences of people who interact in the system,” she added.

The strategy highlights how the growth of digital data – including phones, social media apps, CCTV, and body-worn cameras – is transforming the volume and nature of material that the office has to assess.

“Advancements in areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud services, and data analytics present an opportunity for the office to explore potential efficiencies, while at the same time addressing the risks that new technologies can bring,” the strategy states.

‘Appropriate’ IT systems

The office warns that it is becoming “progressively more difficult” to balance the legal obligation to identify and disclose relevant or potentially relevant information with the duty to protect privacy.

“There continues to be a need for appropriate ICT systems, paired with strong governance, to assist with the analysis and management of data relevant to cases,” it says.

The strategy includes a commitment to set up a regional office in Cork, and to modernise its accommodation and facilities.

The document also says that the office will “review our interactions with members of the public” and expand its range of publicly available information, as part of efforts to maintain public confidence in its service.