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