The Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) was established in 1981 and is an independent non-governmental organisation affiliated to the International Federation of Human Rights.
- Currently CAJ's staff is made up of a Director, Deputy Director, Human Rights Programme Officer, Equality Programme Officer, Policing Programme Officer, Criminal Justice Programme Officer, Legal Officer, Communications Officer, Office Manager and Admin Assistant. CAJ depends on the support of its several volunteers.
- The Committee seeks to secure the highest standards in the administration of justice in Northern Ireland by ensuring that the Government complies with its responsibilities in international human rights law.
- CAJ works closely with other domestic and international human rights groups such as Amnesty International, Human Rights First (formerly the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights) and Human Rights Watch, and makes regular submissions to a number of United Nations and European bodies established to protect human rights. CAJ is a member of the British and Irish Panel of the Federation, along with Liberty, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) and the Scottish Human Rights Centre.
- CAJ takes no position on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland and is firmly opposed to the use of political violence.
- Its membership is drawn from across the whole community.
- CAJ's activities include publishing reports, conducting research, holding conferences, monitoring, campaigning locally and internationally, individual casework and providing legal advice. Its areas of work are extensive and include prisons, policing, emergency laws, the criminal justice system, the use of lethal force, children's rights, gender equality, racism, religious discrimination, and advocacy for a Bill of Rights.
- In CAJ's view, the abuse of human rights is wrong in itself and also fed and fuelled the conflict in Northern Ireland.
- The organisation has been awarded several international human rights prizes, including the Reebok Human Rights Award and the 1998 Council of Europe Human Rights Prize.