Exploring Natural Language Processing (NLP)

Version 1’s Innovation Labs are working with the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the official independent body that investigates potential miscarriages of justice, to explore how disruptive technology can create business value for their organisation.

As part of their independent role, the Criminal Cases Review Commission are obliged to investigate cases brought to them. The case review process regularly involves the assessment of a large number of supporting electronic documents and files. To assist the CCRC investigators making the case file information more accessible and also, to support and streamline their review process, the Innovation Labs are working with CCRC, to explore innovative ways to summarise the documents and files pertaining to review cases.

The Innovation Labs will develop a Proof of Value (PoV), based on Smart Text, one of the Smart Action Suite applications developed by Version 1’s Innovation Labs. The PoV will incorporate natural language processing elements, including topic modelling, regular expression extraction, simple semantic search, named entity recognition, and sentiment analysis. Smart Text, and its underpinning technology, will be used to summarise documents, therefore assisting and expediting the case review process. The PoV conducted will ingest and enrich the information contained in hundreds of unstructured documents pertaining to cases. These customisable and actionable insights, provided through the PoV, aim to demonstrate the applicability of these ground-breaking innovations to assist with the unique and important role of the CCRC.

The CCRC Project Team said:

We welcomed the opportunity to work with Version 1’s Innovation Lab. It has enabled us to continue exploring novel solutions to support our casework operations. It has been a pleasure to work with such a knowledgeable and professional team who have taken the time to understand the complexities of our work at the CCRC.

About the Criminal Case Revenue Commission

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is the statutory body responsible for investigating alleged miscarriages of justice in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It was established by Section 8 of the Criminal Appeal Act of 1995 and began work on 31 March 1997.

Innovation at Version 1

Set up in 2018, our Innovation Labs develop innovative solutions and proof of value for customers to ensure Version 1 remains on the forefront of disruptive technology. Here at Version 1, we use innovation to drive customer success. The Innovation Labs explore disruptive technology to showcase the value and impact it can have on our customer’s businesses. As technology emerges, we’re committed to ensuring we explore the latest technology in a repeatable and relevant manner.