Northampton professor appointed to national youth justice AI panel
The advisory board will oversee the safe and ethical use of technology in decisions about children
A University of Northampton professor has been appointed to a national advisory panel examining how artificial intelligence (AI) could be used in the youth justice system.
Professor Claire Paterson-Young, a social justice expert at the university’s Institute for Social Innovation and Impact, has joined the Ministry of Justice’s Preventative Analytics for Youth Justice Advisory Panel (PAYJAP).
The group brings together specialists from academia, government and industry to assess how data and AI tools could support early intervention, improve outcomes for young people and reduce reoffending.
Focus on children
Prof Paterson-Young said her decision to join the panel was shaped by more than 15 years working in youth justice, social care and child protection before moving into academia.
“I worked in youth justice in various different roles… supporting children and young people,” she said.
“For me, it’s really important that we focus on the child and ensure that the child is central to this process.”
She said decisions made about young people within justice systems can have “a really profound impact” on their futures, particularly for vulnerable children who may already have experienced trauma or exploitation.
Opportunities and risks of AI
The panel has been set up to consider how emerging technologies such as machine learning could be used to identify risk and improve support.
While Prof Paterson-Young acknowledged AI could offer benefits, she said it must be used carefully. “It presents an opportunity… to provide support at the earliest point in a child’s life,” she said.
She warned against systems being relied on to make decisions without human oversight, adding that youth justice work is fundamentally based on relationships.
“If we use AI in a way that makes the decisions for us, we’re really risking children’s rights.”
“A lot of it is about conversations with children… getting to know them, understanding their lives,” she said.
Prof Paterson-Young also highlighted concerns about bias within AI systems, which are often based on historical data. She said there was a risk such tools could “amplify inequality” and lead to unnecessary criminalisation if not carefully designed and monitored.
The advisory panel will help ensure any proposals are ethical, legally sound and focused on children’s wellbeing.
Call for young voices
A key focus of Prof Paterson-Young’s work is ensuring young people’s perspectives are included. She said it's important to recognise that adults may not fully understand the realities facing children today.
“I really don’t know what it’s like to be a child now. Making decisions for them is often difficult.” she said.
She is calling for greater involvement of young people in shaping how technology is used in youth justice, including the possibility of a dedicated youth advisory group.
“Children could shape policy,” she said. “They are the experts about children, really.”
The panel forms part of wider government plans to modernise youth justice services and explore how technology can support earlier intervention.
Prof Paterson-Young said she was proud to represent the University of Northampton at a national level. “It’s an opportunity for research, experience and evidence to inform what’s happening,” she said.
“There’s a real potential here… to shape what’s going to happen next.”