It was launched in Birmingham yesterday by the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer.
XHIBIT (eXchanging Hearing Information By Internet Technology) is being introduced into 99 Crown Court sites across England and Wales, following a pilot in 2004. XHIBIT is a £20 million fixed term contract with EDS.
The system, being rolled out across England and Wales, can update individual court users on the progress of a case via criminal justice agencies; these messages are sent either by text, email, or pager. The public can also track court hearings online using the Internet or via public display screens in the court building.
XHIBIT is currently installed in 68 Crown Court sites.
Lord Falconer said: "Giving evidence in court is daunting at the best of times, but even more so if a witness has to wait for an unpredictable length of time. XHIBIT means that witnesses, including the police, can be contacted by mobile phone, fax or telephone, or can go online to find out how their case is progressing.
"XHIBIT is an example of courts using technology to improve the way they communicate with the public and adds up to a better deal for victims and witnesses in the court process. It is a practical measure that will help make it easier for victims under great pressure."
XHIBIT provides case information to magistrates' courts, Witness Service, Victim Support, the police, the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and the Crown Prosecution Service. The Police National Computer can be updated much faster and orders made by the court can be processed more quickly from this information.
Commander Alfred Hitchcock, the Association of Chief Police Officers lead on criminal justice legislation, said: "Working with XHIBIT is another example of how the police are committed to speeding up the criminal justice system. This new approach offers benefits, enabling officers to spend less time waiting at court and more time patrolling the streets.
"It also helps us support the victims and witnesses through the criminal justice process, as well as getting court results and bail conditions more efficiently.'
XHIBIT is the first system to run on the new LINK infrastructure introduced by Her Majesty's Court Service in 2002 to provide court staff and the Judiciary in criminal and combined courts with modern 21st Century technology.
Quelle: Publictechnology, 15.11.2005
