ICPA Technology Solutions Network Session: Risk, Reward, and Inertia: Why AI Won’t Transform Corrections (Yet) (PID319)

1.30pm – 3pm GMT+03:00, 30 October 2025 ‐ 1 hour 30 mins

Thematic Workshop Sessions

As artificial intelligence gains traction across the public sector, its adoption in corrections remains limited and fragmented. This panel explores whether the sector is truly prepared for meaningful AI integration, or if institutional inertia, risk aversion, and limited strategic capacity are slowing progress. Panelists will examine the complex interplay of technology, trust, and leadership in a high-stakes environment. The session will challenge participants to consider what a realistic and responsible AI strategy in corrections could look like - and what conditions must change for it to take root.

Moderated by Simon Bonk, Chair, Technology Solutions Network, ICPA, Canada

Speakers

Donna Creaven

Director, EuroPris - European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services, Ireland

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Simon Bonk

Chief Research Officer, Telio, Canada

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Christopher Ditto

Senior Vice President of Research & Development, ViaPath Technologies, United States

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Öztürk Taspinar

Keynote speaker and Advisor on AI, Innovation & Organizational Transformation Brussels, Belgium

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Donna Creaven

Director, EuroPris - European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services, Ireland

Donna Creaven is the Director of ICT, Governance, and Corporate Services at the Irish Prison Service. In this role, she oversees key areas such as ICT, corporate governance, and organizational strategy. Donna's diverse expertise spans law, information technology, project and risk management, public administration, and corporate governance. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the National University of Ireland, Galway, and a Master’s in Management & Corporate Governance from the University of Ulster. Additionally, she has completed a Professional Postgraduate Certificate in Data Protection Law from the University of Dublin and a Professional Diploma in Strategy & Innovation from the Institute of Irish Management, University College Cork.

Donna previously served as a board Director for Pobal, an organization that supports the Irish Government in managing funding and services related to social inclusion, equality, inclusive employment, and enterprise. She serves as a Council Member for the Association for Criminal Justice Research & Development and is a member of the European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services ICT Expert Group. Donna has previously contributed to the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute's Expert Working Group, where she participated in research focused on technologies for prisoner rehabilitation.

Simon Bonk

Chief Research Officer, Telio, Canada

Simon Bonk is the former CIO for the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). A role he held for more than six years and retired from that position after almost 30 years in the Canadian Public Service.
On his retirement, he joined Telio as their Chief Research Officer and Director New Business Development, where he creates and implements strategic approaches in new markets, and builds relationships with jurisdictions, researchers, and other stakeholders to advance thought leadership in the correctional space. Simon is currently a Corporate Board Member of the Corrections Technology Association and previously served as Secretary. In addition, he is the Chair of the IT Network for the International Corrections and Prison Association as well as member of the Technology Committee at the American Probation and Parole Association. He serves as an Advisory Board Member to the SAW Project which is dedicated to creating a worldwide data-sharing platform designed to bring positive change to the global supervision industry through international collaboration.

He was recently appointed by the Minister of Public Safety to the CORCAN Advisory Board at the Correctional Service of Canada. CORCAN is a key rehabilitation program that focuses on providing employment and employability skills training to offenders, helping them reintegrate successfully into society. Simon is a member of the Integrated Justice Information Systems (IJIS) Institute’s Corrections Advisory Committee which provides leadership on innovative standards and technologies in corrections.

Christopher Ditto

Senior Vice President of Research & Development, ViaPath Technologies, United States

Christopher Ditto is the Senior Vice President of Research & Development at ViaPath Technologies, a leading provider of communications technology for corrections. With over 15 years of experience in innovating and launching solutions for the corrections industry, Mr. Ditto's work impacts the daily lives of over one million incarcerated individuals. Currently, he leads AI initiatives at ViaPath, driving the integration of cutting-edge technologies into corrections solutions. Based in Silicon Valley, Mr. Ditto has been actively involved with the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) since 2018.

Öztürk Taspinar

Keynote speaker and Advisor on AI, Innovation & Organizational Transformation Brussels, Belgium

Öztürk Taspinar is a Belgian innovation strategist and advisor specializing in artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and organizational resilience. As a former Civil Servant and business innovation leader at KPMG and Accenture, he has spent more than two decades helping both public and private organizations navigate disruption, build innovation capabilities, and prepare for the future of work.

At the intersection of technology, human behaviour, and ethics, Öztürk’s work focuses on how AI and emerging technologies can be used for the common good. He has led strategic transformation programs across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, working with governments, corporates, and non-profits to design ecosystems that foster experimentation, data-driven decision-making, and societal impact.

Öztürk is also a lecturer and keynote speaker on business resilience, innovation culture, and the human side of AI, known for translating complex technology trends into actionable strategies for leaders. His “Building Organizational resilience” model—based on detecting signals, testing ideas, and scaling what works—has inspired organizations to embrace change as a continuous capability rather than a threat.

Deeply humanistic in his approach, he draws inspiration from philosophy, history, and art, connecting the wisdom of thinkers such as Rumi and Aristotle to modern questions of leadership, technology in times of acceleration and uncertainty.