News

Service still awaits reform

Northern Ireland Prison Service is the only part of the criminal justice system still awaiting reform following the Good Friday Agreement. Other changes have come in:

POLICING:

The Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland (also known as Patten) produced a raft of recommendations aimed at creating an effective police service acceptable to both sides of the community. They saw: n RUC renamed the PSNI n new Policing Board and district policing partnerships to ensure accountability n creation of a Police Ombudsman n removal of most visible symbols of Britishness from the service n 50-50 recruitment policy for Catholics and Protestants.

COURTS:

n Removal of royal crests from 41 courtrooms across the north to "neutralise courtrooms" - crown coat of arms only retained in 20 courts for architectural or historical reasons. n Union flag flown only on designated days n Non-jury trials to end - but have since been reprieved twice following ongoing paramilitary murders.

PROSECUTION SERVICE

n Public Prosecution Service (PPS) replaced the department of the Director of Public Prosecutions n Prosecutors rather than police officers now determine what charge is put before the court n Five offices are now based outside Belfast - at Lisburn, Newry, Omagh, Derry and Ballymena.

DEVOLUTION OF POLICING AND JUSTICE n Creation of a new justice department with a seat at the executive and ministerial responsibility for criminal law; policing; prosecution; public order; courts; prisons and probation and criminal history disclosure n Recent reforms of legal aid payments to lawyers n Creation of a Northern Ireland Attorney General as chief legal adviser to executive and the representative of the public interest.

Bimpe Archer