AI & Rehabilitation – Webinar and Roundtable Discussion
The International Network for Criminal Justice, working in partnership with the Probation Institute, will be hosting an international online webinar and follow-on discussion events focused on the growing role of technology and artificial intelligence in rehabilitation.
The international webinar will take place on Tuesday 10 February at 16.00 UK time:
International round-table discussion on Tuesday 17 March at 16.00 UK time:
Across probation, prisons, and community justice settings, digital tools and AI are increasingly shaping how rehabilitation is delivered, assessed, and supported. These developments raise important questions for people working directly with individuals under supervision. How can technology support, rather than undermine, human relationships and professional judgement? What does good, inclusive practice look like when digital systems are involved? And how can practitioners and policymakers feel confident about using new tools responsibly and ethically?
The upcoming events are designed to be practical and accessible. They will focus on real-world experience, emerging practice, and shared challenges, rather than technical detail. Particular attention will be given to inclusion and fairness, including respect for ethnic diversity, gender, and neurodiversity. A key aim is to demystify AI and digital rehabilitation, and to create space for open discussion about what is working, what is uncertain, and what support practitioners may need.
Dr Victoria Knight said:
Attendees can expect to gain insight into how probation-related issues are being approached in different national and organisational contexts, with attention to practical implications for frontline work, leadership, and policy interpretation. The session offers opportunities to hear directly from contributors working at the interface of practice and research, to reflect on shared challenges, and to consider how international perspectives can inform local decision-making, professional judgement, and future collaboration beyond the webinar itself.
The programme will include short introductory podcast conversations with contributors, a live international webinar, and a follow-up round-table discussion held a few weeks later. The round-table will reflect on the issues raised during the webinar and explore next steps, with the intention of producing a short position paper capturing key themes and learning.
The events will be chaired by Dr Victoria Knight, Associate Professor in the Community and Criminal Justice Division at De Montfort University, who has encouraged us to draw on the experience and insight of colleagues across the IN-CJ Network.
Dr Bianca Reisdorf
Dr. Bianca C. Reisdorf is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Bianca’s work focuses on the intersection of inequalities and digital media and the Internet, with a focus on digital inequalities among marginalized populations. In her recent research, Dr. Reisdorf has been focusing on internet access in correctional settings and how returning citizens navigate a technology-dependent world after release.
Dr Carolyn McKay – presentation on line
Dr Carolyn McKay is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Sydney Law School. She is author of The Pixelated Prisoner: Prison video links, court ‘appearance’ and the justice matrix (2018, Routledge) and currently undertaking the Australian Government funded Digital Criminal Justice Project: Vulnerability and the Digital Subject (2021-2024)
Dr Sarah Ellison Davies and Glyn Davies
Dr Sarah Ellison Davies is the Research Director for “Breaking Free on Line”, and Glyn Davies is the Service Director Digital , substance misuse, addiction, justice. “Breaking Free Online” is a comprehensive digital treatment and recovery programme that allows people to recognise and address the psychological and lifestyle issues that are driving their use of alcohol and/or drugs, so helping them to conquer their dependence once and for all.
