STARIST

STARIST – Advanced Identification of Stalking Behaviours

The Advanced Identification of Stalking Behaviours project, known as STARIST, is a STAR-funded initiative supported by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC). This project brings together Cheshire Constabulary, the University of Warwick, the University of Leeds, and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to develop an innovative AI-driven pipeline for the detection and assessment of stalking behaviours.

Combining advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) and AI methodologies, the STARIST system will process multimedia sources, including text and audio, to extract, analyse, and summarise key evidence. By actively integrating feedback from officers and specialists, the tool will generate structured, actionable insights that can support decision-making in investigations and victim safeguarding.

This project responds to an urgent national need to address the under-identification and misclassification of stalking, a crime that often remains hidden and underreported. By increasing consistency and speed in case assessments, STARIST aims to improve conviction rates, build public confidence in the justice system, and directly contribute to the UK Government’s goal to halve violence against women and girls.

The STARIST project builds on the proven expertise of the team’s previous STAR-funded AI work on VAWG and drug-related crime in collaboration with Dorset Police and the Forensic Capability Network, and is designed for future replication across UK policing. For more information, see our project feature on the BBC NewsLink opens in a new window and the video segment by BBC ManchesterLink opens in a new window.