Buddi

What is it? 

Buddi is a discreet GPS tracking service that can be used to accurately pinpoint an individual's whereabouts. The device is already used by health services and local authorities, but through Reboot Britain the service was adapted by Hertfordshire Police with the help of persistent offenders who volunteered to trial the tag as an alternative to prison custody.

Traditional electronic monitoring technologies only monitor whether an offender has complied with the conditions of their curfew, and do not provide information about location. The Buddi tag collects a much more comprehensive daily data trail that can be mapped to show exactly where offenders are at a given point of time.

The information is also used to support rehabilitation and help offenders change their behaviour. In face to face meetings offenders review the data trail with their supervisors to identify patterns in their lifestyle and then think about what they need to do differently to reduce the likelihood they will reoffend in the future. Police also have immediate access to the information so can quickly rule out potential suspects from an investigation. This reduces disruptions to offenders' lives and speeds up overall investigation time.

How the idea developed

Buddi was initially developed as a technology for parents who were concerned about losing their children and was then used to help vulnerable older people, and people with mental health difficulties stay safely in their own home. Hertfordshire Police wanted to use it for the longer term monitoring of offenders in their Choices and Consequences programme. 

During the trial period volunteers were asked to provide feedback on practical elements of the design. The Buddi team also worked with Police colleagues to develop the user interface that mapped an offender's activity. 

The tag that has been developed is worn by volunteers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and they are also in regular communication with the Offender Management Team throughout their rehabilitation. Volunteers have reported how they feel 'safe' wearing it and that it helped them maintain their intention to stop offending. 

Through Nesta's Reboot Britain programme the project received £10,000 to support user testing of the Buddi tag with persistent offenders who volunteered to trial it as an alternative to prison custody.

Latest news (as at 20 August 2012) 

The product has been tested with 12 other Police forces including Oldham, Gloucestershire, Suffolk, Northamptonshire and Lancashire, and Buddi and Hertfordshire Police are supporting implementation in these and other areas. Buddi are also continuing to innovate in the field of offender management technology and improve the hardware and software. Currently data collected by the tag sits in a stand-alone system so in the next iteration of the platform the team will look at how to integrate this into other police systems. 

The potential use of Buddi is far greater than its limited use of data in Hertfordshire. Wider use within the criminal justice system with offenders on community sentences, on bail and on release from prison is one area for growth. However there are many other situations such as monitoring absent parents where the ability for a person to demonstrate their behaviour could be used positively.

Want to know more?

Louise Gartland, Buddi Project Manager - louiseg@buddi.co.uk