CJI News Archive

CJI Chief Inspector Jacqui Durkin, has called for leadership, action and adequate resources allocated to deliver long overdue improvements in the care and treatment of victims and witnesses engaging with the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland.

The Chair of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) John Wadham has written to the Minister of Justice, Naomi Long MLA on behalf of the members of the NMIP in Northern Ireland to highlight the vital importance of efforts to uphold the rights of people in detention and deprived of their liberty during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

CJI is seeking a new Inspector to join its Inspection Team on a full time basis.

Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland’s Chief Inspector Jacqui Durkin and Deputy Chief Inspector James Corrigan have become the latest signatories of the Women’s Aid White Ribbon Charter.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) has launched a competition to appoint a new Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice for Northern Ireland.

The position is widely viewed as one of the most challenging positions within the public sector in Northern Ireland.  Further details on the role, candidate information packs and application forms may be obtained by accessing the Public Appointments page of the Department of Justice website - www.justice-ni.gov.uk/
 
Candidates can also email [email protected]; telephone 028 9016 9537, or apply in writing to Chief Inspector CJI Appointment Team, Legacy and Justice Transformation Branch, Massey House, Stormont Estate, Belfast BT4 3SX.

Applications for the post, which has been advertised both locally and nationally, close at 12 noon on Friday 9 August 2019.

CJI has published the Terms of Reference for its review of the methods used by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to disclose information in respect of historic cases linked to the ‘Troubles’ to the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (OPONI).

Rachel Lindsay, who represents CJI in the UK National Preventative Mechanism (NPM), is attending an NPM event this afternoon hosted by the IMB Secretariat.  The NPM Assistant Co-ordinator will be presenting on the work of the UK NPM and Rachel will be contributing to the discussion in relation to her membership of the NPM Steering Group and CJI’s role as an NPM member.  

Brendan McGuigan CBE will speak at the NSPCC Young Witness Service conference at the Belfast Harbour Commissioners Office on Friday 29 March.  The conference will address the subject of ‘Safeguarding young witnesses in the criminal justice system’.

The event will mark the 20th anniversary of the Young Witness Service and will bring together Sir John Gillen as keynote speaker, alongside guest speakers including Stephen Herron, Director PPS, Tim Mairs ACC PSNI, Brian Grzymek DoJ and The Lighthouse service in London.
 

Brendan McGuigan CBE is to continue as Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland for a further 12 months.

CJI’s Deputy Chief Inspector James Corrigan has called for strategic goals to be developed inside the next six months to support equality work being undertaken by criminal justice organisations. View Inspection Report.
 

CJI is pleased to announce that it has transitioned from ISO 9001: 2008 after achieving certification under the new ISO 9001: 2015 standard following an independent audit.

CJI Chief Inspector Brendan McGuigan has published an assessment of work undertaken by the PPS to implement the recommendations in the 2015 Starmer Review. View report page.

Chief Inspector Brendan McGuigan has welcomed steps taken by the criminal justice system to improve the attendance of witness and offenders at court. View report page.

Chief Inspector Brendan McGuigan has recommended that the Office of the Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland recommence the investigation of historical cases.  View Report Page.

 Improvements have been made in the management of cleaning processes and cleanliness of the environment at Roe House, Maghaberry Prison, but continuous attention is required to ensure that all necessary steps are being taken to minimise potential risks of the spread of infection to prisoners and prison staff.

FUTURE improvements in the treatment of vulnerable prisoners within the criminal justice system are unlikely unless there is a change in the attitudes and behaviours of some members of the Northern Ireland Prison Service.

In November 2011 CJI was asked by the Council of Europe to deliver a series of seminars as part of a programme on the monitoring and handling of complaints against the police to be delivered in the North Caucasus Federal District of the Russian Federation. 

A report on the Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre (JJC) has commended the professional practice and continued improvements at Woodlands. View press release. View full report. View Ebook summary.

CJI's Chief Inspector Dr Michael Maguire has indicated the independence of the Office of the Police Ombudsman has been lowered in an inspection report published today.  View press release. View full report. View e-book.

CJI has called for action to improvements the way legal services are provided across the justice system in Northern Ireland in a new report published today. View press release. View Report. View e-book summary.

 

CJI has today published its terms of reference for its inspection of the handling of sexual offences cases in Northern Ireland.

Criminal Justice Inspection has published the latest edition of its newsletter The Spec. Copies of the August '09 edition can be viewed or downloaded here.

Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland has been designated as one of the bodies to form UK’s National Preventative Mechanism (UK NPM) in accordance with the Operational Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT).  As part of the ratification process for OPCAT, the Government has announced CJI will be one of a number of existing inspection bodies directed to carry out a system of regular visits to places of detention in order to prevent the torture and other cruel, in human or degrading treatment or punishment of detained persons.  A written ministerial statement  identifying the bodies selected across the UK to form the UK NPM was presented to Parliament by Michael Wills MP, Minister of State with the Department of Justice today.  Other bodies designated alongside CJI as part of the UK NPM for Northern Ireland include the Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB), the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) and the Northern Ireland Policing Board Independent Custody Visiting Scheme (NIPBICVS).  To view a copy of the Ministerial statement click here.

 CJI has launched a recruitment campaign to identify two talented individuals to join its highly motivated, professional, multi-disciplinary Inspection team.

The successful candidates will be involved in preparing the programme of inspection, leading in the pre-inspection of organisations and will participate in formal inspections in accordance with relevant legislation. 

Dr Michael Maguire was one of a number of guest speakers who addressed the first day of the 2008 Courts Conference hosted by the Northern Ireland Court Service at the Inn of Courts, Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast.  The event was attended by representatives of all of the court jurisdictions within the British Isles.  Other speakers who addressed the conference were senior officials within the courts services across these jurisdictions.



 

CJI’s Chief Inspector Dr Michael Maguire was one of a number of speakers invited to address this year’s Criminal Justice System Northern Ireland Conference.  The theme of the event held at the Hilton Hotel, Templepatrick, was Working Together for Public Protection.  During his speech, Dr Maguire highlighted the role of the inspection process played in developing the criminal justice system and the contribution CJI could make to building confidence in the criminal justice system and demystifying it for the community.  The event which brought together representatives from across the criminal justice sector also incorporated the 2008 Criminal Justice Awards which promote best practice across the system.  The awards were presented by the Criminal Justice Minister Paul Goggins MP.

Tom McGonigle presented a paper on Correctional Oversight – Challenges, Prospects and Lessons at a workshop as part of the annual conference of the International Corrections and Prisons Association in Prague, Czech Republic.  Other workshop speakers included the Correctional Investigator of Canada  Howard Sapers, the recently retired Chief Inspector of Prisons of Western Australia, Richard Harding and the Director of Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action from Nigeria, Uju Agomoh.  Over 350 delegates attended the international conference.

Criminal Justice Inspection has published the latest edition of its newsletter The Spec. Copies of the October '08 edition can be viewed or downloaded here.

Brendan McGuigan, Deputy Chief Inspector, gave a presentation at the BMF Modern and Efficient Government Conference in the Stormont Hotel on Wednesday 17 September 2008.  A copy of the presentation can be downloaded here.

CJI’s new Chief Inspector Dr Michael Maguire has met with the Criminal Justice Minister Paul Goggins MP for the first time since taking up his post.  The Chief Inspector said he welcomed the opportunity to meet with the Minister and looked forward to working with him in the future.

Speaking about his appointment as the head of CJI, Dr Maguire said: “I am delighted to have taken over as Chief Inspector from Kit Chivers and look forward to building relationships with CJI's partner agencies in the criminal justice system.  The Inspectorate is making a valuable contribution to the criminal justice system and I believe elected local representatives and local people are taking an interest in the findings of CJI’s reports."

Kit Chivers, Brendan McGuigan and James Corrigan gave evidence to the Assembly’s Environment Committee on the recommendations made by the Inspectorate in its report on Enforcement by the Department of the Environment.  They were warmly welcomed by Committee Chairman Patsy McGlone MLA.  Speaking after the event, Kit said: “Members of the Environment Committee were extremely interested in the work CJI had undertaken on road safety as well as on environmental crime.  We had a very useful exchange with the Committee and look forward to meeting with it again to discuss the DOE’s response to our report and to talk about our inspection of Roads Policing when it is published.”

 

Criminal Justice Inspection hosted its annual Stakeholder Conference at the Stormont Hotel, Belfast.  The one-day conference looked at the benefits and challenges the devolution of policing and criminal justice would present for statutory and voluntary and community organisations working within the criminal justice sector.  The conference was opened by the Attorney General, the Rt. Hon Baroness Scotland QC.  Other speakers who addressed the audience of over 100 delegates included the Lord Advocate of Scotland, the Rt. Hon Elish Angiolini QC and the Chairman of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, Sir Patrick Cormack MP.  They were joined by Aideen Glimore, Deputy Director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice and Steve Costello, Chairman of the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland.

During the one-day conference Kit Chivers gave his annual review during which he spoke of the work undertaken by the Inspectorate during the course of the year and examined the issue of the devolution of policing and criminal justice.  The conference also provided an opportunity for CJI to consult its stakeholders on its draft inspection programme for 2008-09.  Brendan McGuigan gave a brief overview of the topics and areas within the criminal justice system that CJI intended to inspect and review.  He encouraged delegates to help shape the organisation’s next three-year Corporate Plan by indicating the areas where they, as participants within the criminal justice system, felt the Inspectorate should focus its efforts in the future.

Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland has today published its inspection report on Community Restorative Justice Ireland.

Criminal Justice Inspection has published two follow-up reviews on Forensic Science Northern Ireland and Scientific Support Services within the PSNI. Both reports examine progress on recommendations contained in the Inspectorate’s original reports which were published in 2005.  The acknowledge the progress which has been made by both organisations while highlighting areas where further improvements can be made.

An inspection report on Human Resource Management in the PSNI which CJI made a contribution to has been published today by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).  Copies of the report can be downloaded from the HMIC website http://inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmic/

Further information on the findings of the inspection can be obtained from HMIC North of England Region on (01924) 237700.

Paul Mageean has co-authored an essay examining Article Two of the European Convention of Human Rights.  The essay is included in a new book entitled Judges, Transition and Human Rights (OUP, 2007) edited by Professors John Morison, Kieran McEvoy and Gordon Anthony from the School of Law at Queen’s University, Belfast.
 

The book was published in memory of Prof. Stephen Livingstone, a former Professor of Law at QUB who died in 2004. Paul was asked to contribute to the book because of his personal understanding of Article Two and the cases he was involved in during his time with the Committee on the Administration of Justice.

Criminal Justice Inspection’s Annual Stakeholder Conference is held at the Hilton Hotel, Templepatrick.

The event which brings together representatives of Northern Ireland’s Criminal Justice system and voluntary and community groups who work within the sector this year is looking at the issue of Justice in a Changing Community.  Among the speakers joining  Kit Chivers, Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland in addressing delegates at the one-day conference are Paul Goggins MP, Minister for Security, Policing and Prisons, Sir Hugh Orde, Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Kathleen O’Toole, Chief Inspector of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate.  They will also be addressed by Professor Kieran McEvoy, Queen’s University, Belfast, Brendan McAllister, Director of Mediation Northern Ireland, Patrick Yu from the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM) and James Knox from the Coalition on Sexual Orientation (COSO).  During the course of the day, CJI Inspectors will consult Stakeholders on the proposed Inspection Programme for 2007-08.

A thematic inspection on how the Criminal Justice system in Northern Ireland manages hate crime has been published by Criminal Justice Inspection.  The report recommends a more consistent, integrated and systematic approach to the reporting, recording, investigation and prosecution of these offences would improve the existing system.  It also recognises the commendable commitment displayed by the various criminal justice agencies to tackling the issue.

 

Criminal Justice Inspection has published its first follow-up review. The review examined progress made on 30 recommendations included in the inspection report on the State Pathologist’s Department which was published in June 2005. The follow-up review revealed that 15 of the recommendations had not yet been achieved.  In light of this, CJI’s Chief Inspector Kit Chivers has given a commitment that CJI will conduct a further review in 2007.

Brendan McGuigan participated in the Ballymena ‘Your Turn’ programme with students from local schools and colleges.  The event, held in the Leghinmhor Hotel was organised by Common Purpose.  The programme encourages young people from different backgrounds to come together to face up to common problems and to think in news ways about the area where they live.

Kit Chivers, Brendan McGuigan and members of the CJI Inspection team welcomed Dawn Purvis and David Ervine, MLA of the Progressive Unionist Party to CJI headquarters as part of the CJI’s efforts to engage with all political parties and key opinion formers.

Ulster Unionist Party leader Sir Reg Empey and North Down MP Lady Sylvia Hermon met with CJI as part of on-going efforts by the Chief Inspector and his staff to engage with different political parties and key opinion formers.

Brendan McGuigan gave a presentation to a group of senior police officers, judges and prison governors from Iraq who were attending a course at Bramshill Police Staff College in Hampshire on the challenges faced post conflict for a criminal justice system.  During the presentation, the Deputy Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice explained how inspection could contribute positively towards the change and improvement of criminal justice systems.

CJI published its inspection report of the Social Security Agency’s Benefit Investigation Service.

CJI published its Corporate Plan for 2006-09 and Business Plan for 2006-07.

Sinn Fein representatives Raymond McCartney, Ciaran Kearney and Mike Ritchie call on CJI to discuss CJI’s published reports, the future work programme, and issues around community restorative justice.

The Chief Inspector gives a presentation to the NI Policing Board on proposed changes in the arrangements for inspection and on CJI’s plans for future inspections of the PSNI.  The plans will be published in April, subject to Ministerial approval

CJI held its annual Stakeholder Conference at the Dunadry Hotel, Antrim. The event, which was attended by about 100 people from the criminal justice agencies, non-statutory organisations and other interested parties, was opened by the Criminal Justice Minister, David Hanson MP. In the morning Kit Chivers gave a speech on the past and present work of CJI. This was followed by a session, introduced by Conal Devitt (Head of the Community Safety Unit) and Olwen Lyner (Chief Executive of NIACRO) on the role of the voluntary and community sector in the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland. In the afternoon CJI Deputy Chief Inspector Brendan McGuigan presented for consultation CJI’s proposed inspection plans for the next three years

Alex Attwood MLA called on the Chief Inspector to discuss the Government's proposals on community-based restorative justice.

CJI published its report on the inspection of the Compensation Agency.