IN-CJ Newsdesk 2025 – John Scott ‘Reimagining Criminal Justice’
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In this edition of the IN-CJ Newsdesk, we speak with John Scott, one of the network’s founders, about a new initiative aimed at reshaping how criminal justice reform is imagined and pursued. The discussion centres on Reimagining Criminal Justice, a project that brings together practitioners, researchers, and system leaders who want to move beyond short-term crisis management and toward long-term, coordinated change.
The conversation begins by acknowledging the scale of the challenge. Many parts of the criminal justice system are struggling, from overcrowded prisons to understaffed probation services and prolonged delays in the courts. John argues that while individual services often look closely at their own immediate problems, there is little space to step back and understand how the system works as a whole. Without that wider perspective, efforts to reform tend to remain fragmented.
John describes the new project as an attempt to restore that broader view. Drawing on experience from the UK and other jurisdictions, the group is focused on what it means to rebuild confidence, clarity of purpose, and shared responsibility across criminal justice agencies. Instead of continuously rearranging a system already under strain, the aim is to identify the essential parts of the jigsaw and set them in place, starting with clear principles, long-term direction, and renewed partnerships.
One of the strongest themes in the conversation is the importance of local ownership. John suggests that criminal justice in the UK has become too detached from local communities and too heavily centralised. Examples from other countries show that when prisons, probation services, and local authorities work closely with one another, people leaving custody are more likely to receive the support they need, and communities are more able to contribute to rehabilitation. The project therefore calls for devolved responsibility and closer collaboration with local government, mayoral offices, and community organisations.
The interview also touches on the need to create space for hope. John is clear that frontline staff continue to do their best in difficult circumstances, but that long-term improvement depends on giving people at every level a sense that change is possible. Reimagining Criminal Justice seeks to build that momentum by encouraging innovation, testing new approaches, and promoting learning across regions through shared frameworks and evaluation.
The discussion offers an early insight into the thinking behind the project and the practical steps it hopes to pursue. It raises questions about leadership, partnership, and the role of both national direction and local engagement in shaping a more effective and inclusive justice system. Above all, it invites readers to consider how a more connected, purposeful approach might make space for meaningful reform.
