Probation and community sentencing

When an offender receives a Community Order from the court, or leaves prison on Supervised Licence or Order, they will be put under the supervision of the Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI) for a specified period of time.

When is an offender likely to be put on probation supervision?

Offenders are likely to be put on probation supervision when:

  • a judge sentences them to a Community Order
  • the Parole Commissioners decide that they can be released into the community on Licence
  • they are released from prison after serving the custodial part of their sentence

Community sentences

Placing all offenders under custodial sentences (sending them to prison) is not possible or desirable. If an offender doesn't pose a threat to the public, a Community Order can be effective in addressing offending behaviour.

Community sentencing can also allow offenders to make amends for their crime. These include:

  • compulsory unpaid work (community service) such as removing graffiti, cleaning up derelict areas or working for charities
  • community supervision, which involves meeting regularly with a probation officer to help change attitudes and behaviour
  • curfews, where an offender must stay indoors at certain times, from April 2009 they can be electronically tagged to monitor the curfew
  • addressing issues such as drug or alcohol abuse, which can lead to offending
  • addressing certain types of offending behaviour, such as persistent drink-driving, domestic violence or sex offending

If an offender breaks the requirements of the Community Order, they will be returned to court. In some cases, offenders may be re-sentenced and sent to prison.

Research has shown that probation is effective. Sixty-six per cent of offenders on Probation Orders and Community Service Orders were not reconvicted within two years.

PBNI partnerships

PBNI works closely with statutory, community and voluntary organisations. As part of the Criminal Justice System Northern Ireland (CJSNI), PBNI works with the Northern Ireland Office, the Northern Ireland Court Service, the Northern Ireland Prison Service, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland and the Youth Justice Agency.

Working with others helps PBNI achieve its aims which are to:

  • protect the public
  • reduce re-offending
  • integrate offenders successfully back into the community

PBNI currently spends over £1m a year supporting over 50 community and voluntary partners across Northern Ireland who work with offenders. PBNI also provides a number of programmes to help challenge and change offending behaviour. These include:

  • alcohol and drugs programmes
  • employment and training schemes
  • mentoring programmes

What does probation mean for an offender?

Offenders on probation must comply with rules and requirements specified by their Court Order or Release Licence. If they break these rules, they face enforcement action, which includes the risk of being sent to prison. For example, offenders must attend regular supervision sessions with their probation officers. If they fail to attend without a valid explanation they will be returned to court.

Other requirements can include:

  • completing specific programmes
  • completing alcohol and drug treatment
  • staying in approved premises
  • staying away from the area where a crime was committed

Probation officer's role

Probation officers here work with over 4,000 offenders on any given day. Their role is to:

  • challenge offending behaviour
  • work towards positively changing an offender's attitude and behaviour
  • protect the public

Changes to sentencing in Northern Ireland

A range of new sentencing options is now available to the courts in Northern Ireland which will impact on the work of the PBNI.

The Criminal Justice (NI) Order 2008 has made provision for:

  • indeterminate and extended custodial sentences
  • supervision of all prisoners on release
  • Parole Commissioners to inform decisions about release
  • Executive Recall Unit
  • strengthened community supervision through the use of electronic monitoring and drug treatment and testing orders

Victims

PBNI has a Victim Information Scheme which is open to any person (or agreed representative) who has been the direct victim of a criminal offence and where the offender in question has received a Probation Supervised Sentence.

The scheme can provide certain information to victims or their representative who register with the scheme. The Victim Information Scheme started in 2005. More information is available on our website or by contacting the Victims’ Unit on 028 9032 1972.

Accountability

Established under the Probation Board (NI) Order 1982, PBNI is a non-departmental public body which operates independently of Government and is accountable to Parliament through the Northern Ireland Office and Ministers.

Contact details

Probation Board for Northern Ireland
80-90 North Street
Belfast
BT1 1LD


T: 028 9026 2400
F: 028 9026 2470
Email: Probation Board Northern Ireland

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