As with policing, there have been a lot of developments in relation to criminal justice since the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement of 1998. This Agreement set out the terms of reference for a review of the “structure, management and resourcing of publicly funded elements of the criminal justice system.” The Criminal Justice Review - which was comprised largely of government officials with an independent element - reported in 2000 and made 294 recommendations ranging from new procedures for all judicial appointments and measures to promote a representative workforce in all parts of the criminal justice system to reforms to many aspects of youth justice. The full report of the Criminal Justice Review can be accessed here.
The implementation of the recommendations of this report were monitored by the Justice Oversight Commissioner for Northern Ireland. His reports can be accessed here .
The institutions which currently comprise the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland are:
- Police Service of Northern Ireland
- Public Prosecution Service
- Youth Justice Agency
- Northern Ireland Court Service
- Northern Ireland Prison Service
- Probation Board for Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland Office
The Criminal Justice Inspection is an independent statutory inspectorate with responsibility for inspecting all aspects of the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland apart from the judiciary. It also inspects a number of other agencies and organisations that link into the criminal justice system.