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THE PUBLIC PROSECUTION SERVICE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND Community Outreach Strategy 2006 - 2009

March 2006

Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland

Community Outreach Strategy

Table of Contents 1. Introduction 3

1.1 Background 3 1.2 Purpose of this document 4 1.3 What is Community outreach? 4 1.4 Approach 5

2. Public Prosecution Service 6 2.1 Regional Structure 6 2.2 Related Initiatives 6 2.3 Publications 8 2.4 Public Information Working Group 10 2.5 Inter-Agency Approach 11

3. Outreach for the Community 12 3.1 Diversity and Equality 123.2 Groups and Persons 12

4. Community outreach Services 14 4.1 Introduction 14 4.2 Information Events 15 4.3 Meeting the Community 15 4.4 Inter-Agency Work 16 4.5 Diversionary Schemes 17 4.6 School Visits 17 4.7 Volunteerism 18

5. Service Delivery 19 5.1 Introduction 19 5.2 Roles & Responsibilities 19

6. Summary 23 6.1 Community Outreach Strategy 23

Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland of 23


1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

1.1.1 The Agreement reached in Belfast on Good Friday 1998 provided for a “... wide-ranging Review of criminal justice (other than policing and those aspects of the system relating to the emergency legislation) to be carried out by the British Government through a mechanism with an independent element, in consultation with the political parties and others”.

1.1.2 The aims for the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland set out by the participants to the multi-party negotiations which led the Agreement were to:

deliver a fair and impartial system of justice to the community;

be responsive to the community’s concerns, and encouraging community involvement where appropriate;

have the confidence of all parts of the community; and

deliver justice efficiently and effectively.

1.1.3 The Criminal Justice Review (2000) was undertaken as a direct consequence of the Agreement. The Review made nearly fifty recommendations with regard to the prosecution of offences. The key recommendation in this area was the formation of a single, independent Public Prosecution Service (PPS) for Northern Ireland. The PPS was established in June 2005 by the commencement of the Justice (NI) Act 2002. Subject to its full implementation, in and around June 2007, the PPS will have responsibility for all criminal cases previously prosecuted by the former Department of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

1.1.4 The Criminal Justice Review envisaged "prosecutors engaging at the local level with other agencies and the community in a way that has not hitherto been possible". The Review stated that:

"From our visits to other jurisdictions we are conscious of the enhanced and positive contribution that prosecutors can make to the criminal justice system and the community at large through such engagement, without compromising their independence. It is not just about issues of diversion, but also involvement in community safety matters, court user issues and helping familiarise the public with criminal justice processes."

1.1.5 The Review recommended that:

"outreach to the community and inter-agency working be a stated objective of the prosecution service."



1.2 Purpose of this document

1.2.1 The purpose of this document is to define a Community Outreach Strategy for the Public Prosecution Service (PPS).

1.2.2 The Community Outreach Strategy must be:

Effective it must facilitate real and meaningful interaction between the PPS and local communities across Northern Ireland;

Innovative it must use new, imaginative and dynamic mechanisms, as appropriate, to allow this interaction to happen; and

Achievable the Community Outreach Strategy must be realistic and deliverable. It must be a strategy which enables community outreach with the financial and people resources available to the PPS.

1.3 What is Community outreach?

1.3.1 Community outreach, in the context of this strategy document, is the process by which the PPS and the people of Northern Ireland will interact and the way in which the PPS will engage at a local level with the community and relevant statutory and non-statutory agencies.

1.3.2 The aim of this Community Outreach Strategy is to:

“Increase public confidence in the independence, fairness and effectiveness of the new Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland.”

1.3.3 The objectives of the Public Prosecution Service’s Community Outreach

Strategy are to:

i. Increase the community’s understanding of the role of the PPS as part of the overall criminal justice system and to help inform the community generally about criminal justice processes;

ii. Provide information about the working of the PPS, for example, what criteria are used to make decisions; and

iii. Assist with developing the community’s understanding of diversionary schemes as an alternative to prosecution.

1.3.4 It is important that clear boundaries are set, explained and agreed by all parties

involved in Community outreach activities as prosecutorial independence is an imperative and must be protected at all stages.



1.3.5 This Community Outreach Strategy recognises there are a number of factors which determine ‘public confidence’ in the criminal justice system and that the significance of these factors (i.e. the relative importance these factors have in determining ‘confidence’) may vary from a regional level to local communities to an individual. Regionally, confidence factors such as independence and fairness may be to the fore. At a local level, there may be an increased focus on diversionary schemes. At an individual level, people may be more concerned about their specific involvement with the criminal justice system, for example as a witness.

1.4 Approach

1.4.1 The approach used to define this document is detailed below:

Public Prosecution While this strategy document proposes a set of specific Service community outreach services, it is important to note that

community outreach was a key influence on the overall design of the PPS. How will the design of the PPS facilitate community outreach? What related activities are on-going within the prosecution service? What other cross-agency programmes are underway which should be considered in the development of this strategy?

The Community While community outreach is for all members of the community, the PPS needs to be able to identify and focus on certain groups or areas within the overall population of Northern Ireland. What are these groups or areas which this outreach strategy should focus on?

Outreach Services What are the specific outreach services that the PPS will provide against each of the groups or areas identified above? What is the purpose of each of these services?

Implementation What performance targets will be used to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the PPS's Community Outreach Strategy? What utilities and tools will be used to provide measurement of performance against these targets? What are the resource implications for the PPS arising from the full implementation of this Community Outreach Strategy?

1.4.2 This approach is reflected in the overall structure of this document.



2. PUBLIC PROSECUTION SERVICE

2.1 Regional Structure

2.1.1 The PPS will be a regionally based organisation. There will be four regions, each coterminous with one or more court divisions. There will be six offices, called Chambers, across these four regions including the new corporate headquarters at Belfast Chambers.

2.1.2 Each of the four regions will be headed by a Regional Prosecutor. The Regional Prosecutor will have overall responsibility for decisions as to prosecution and for the conduct of all prosecutions in that region with the exception of those files that are transferred to prosecutors in Headquarters. The Regional Prosecutor will also have responsibility for community outreach services within each of the regions.

2.1.3 It is envisaged that the accessibility to local communities enabled by the location of offices at a regional level and the assignment of responsibility for liaison with local communities to each of the Regional Prosecutors will have a positive impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of the outreach services defined in this strategy.

2.2 Related Initiatives

2.2.1 There are a number of on-going and evolving initiatives within the PPS that, while not directly initiated by this Community Outreach Strategy, are expected to have a significant positive impact in this area. Examples of such initiatives are:

i. Recruitment;

ii. Enhanced services to victims and witnesses;

iii. Development of an Internet site; and

iv. Information provision.

2.2.2 Firstly, the ongoing recruitment programme for the PPS will deliver two key

advantages in terms of community outreach. The publicity and information provision associated with a recruitment campaign (e.g. newspaper advertisements, stands at job fairs, brochures, etc.) will be a key platform for the delivery of information for the PPS.



2.2.3 In addition, as the significant recruitment of new staff, in preparation for the full rollout of the PPS, continues it is envisaged that employees of the prosecution service will become more ‘visible’ in local communities (especially given the regional structure of the new organisation). While this visibility is of course premised on an improving security situation, there can be little doubt that more prosecutors living within local communities will increase the sense of a ‘public’ service.

2.2.4 Secondly, the PPS will provide an enhanced range of services to victims and witnesses. The key objectives for these services to victims and witnesses include:

Minimising any inconvenience or hardship for victims and witnesses associated with appearing in court; and

Providing as much information as possible to victims and witnesses on their role in the prosecution process.

2.2.5 The PPS is currently working with Victim Support Northern Ireland (VSNI) and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) in order to provide specialist support services to victims and witnesses.

2.2.6 The PPS has locally based Community Liaison teams who, in addition to providing victims with information at key points in the progress of their cases, managing witness attendance at court and acting as a focal point for queries, can refer individuals requiring specialist support to VSNI or NSPCC.

2.2.7 The Criminal Justice Review stated that the provision of such services to victims and witnesses “should not be limited to cases that the criminal justice system might classify as ‘serious’ and the facility of the Community Liaison function of the prosecution service is notified to all prosecution victims and witnesses.

2.2.8 It is anticipated that the enhanced provision of information and support services to victims and witnesses by the prosecution service and its partner organisations will have a positive impact on those people who actually interact with the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland.

2.2.9 Thirdly, the PPS has its own dedicated website on the World Wide Web (WWW). This site provides:

An overview of the Public Prosecution Service (at both an organisational and regional level);

Access to all of the key publications (e.g. Annual Report); and

Ability to contact the Public Prosecution Service (through a secure comments section).



2.2.10 This web site will comply with Government and international standards for accessibility. The Government’s Web Accessibility initiative provides a framework for accessibility to the contents of public service web sites for people with disabilities, as detailed in the Disability Act 1999. This initiative is aimed at ensuring that those people with a disability are catered for and, as such, the web site of the prosecution service presents information in a suitable manner.

2.2.11 The Public Prosecution Service has commenced and will continue a process of communication with a number of organisations including:

Women's Aid;

Northern Ireland Council for Ethic Minorities (NICEM);

North Down & Ards Institute;

Law Society;

Community Dialogue; and

Committee for the Administration of Justice.

2.2.12 These initiatives and on-going activities can reasonably be expected to indirectly assist the prosecution service achieve its stated community outreach objectives.

2.3 Publications

2.3.1 The new Public Prosecution Service has a statutory obligation, under the Justice (NI) Act 2002, to publish a number of specific documents. These documents will be a central element of the communication strategy of the prosecution service and, it can reasonably be assumed, will significantly assist the service in achieving the stated aim and objectives for its community outreach programme as detailed in Section 1.3 above.

2.3.2 Some of the key documents that the Public Prosecution Service has and will be publishing are detailed in the table below:

Document Description

Code of Practice The aim of the Code for Prosecutors is to define:

i. The general principles to be applied in determining, in any cases:

whether criminal proceedings should be instituted or, where criminal proceedings have been instituted, whether they should be discontinued, and

what charges should be preferred.

ii. General guidelines for the conduct of criminal



prosecutions.

Code of Ethics The Code for Prosecutors will contain a Code of Ethics which will define the standards and conduct that the Public Prosecution Service expects from prosecutors including those barristers and solicitors who act for, but are not employed by, the Public Prosecution Service.

Annual Report The Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland has a statutory responsibility to issue an Annual Report each year. The prosecution service’s Annual Report will provide information on a wide range of topics including:

Business Plans (objectives for the coming year);

Workload (how many files were received in the year);

Performance (how many files were processed in the year); and

Complaints (how many were received / upheld in the year).

2.3.3 The Public Prosecution Service is committed to ensuring that these

publications will be available in a wide range of formats (e.g. audio, braille, etc.) and in languages other than English to ensure maximum accessibility throughout the community. The prosecution service is working with other criminal justice organisations to define a common approach to the issue of accessibility.

2.3.4 Under the Freedom of Information Act, the Public Prosecution Service has published a publications scheme and has had the necessary information management protocols in place since January 2005.

2.3.5 In addition, the Public Prosecution Service will put appropriate policy documents out for consultation in line with government guidance. The purpose of such consultations will be to involve individuals and groups, in a structured manner, in policy development within the new prosecution service. All feedback received through such consultations will be fully considered in the development of policy.

2.3.6 These consultation exercises will be designed in line with the Cabinet Office Code of Practice and recognised best practice. Policy documents will be accessible, for example they will be drafted in plain language, and the public consultation process will be designed in order to maximise the opportunity for feedback by giving a proper time to respond, for example a minimum period of twelve weeks for responses will be given.



2.4 Public Information Working Group

2.4.1 The prosecution service is a full and active member of the inter-agency Public Information Working Group which was set up in direct response to Recommendation 14 of the Criminal Justice Review which stated that “a public information and education strategy for the Criminal Justice System” should be designed and implemented. The Public Information Working Group is a sub-group of the Criminal Justice Board. The Criminal Justice Board is made up of the heads, or senior representatives, of each of the main statutory criminal justice organisations in Northern Ireland:

the Department of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland;

the Police Service of Northern Ireland;

the Northern Ireland Prison Service;

the Probation Board for Northern Ireland;

the Northern Ireland Office; and

the Northern Ireland Court Service.

2.4.2 The Public Information Working Group has developed a public information

and education strategy for the Criminal Justice System in Northern Ireland (CJSNI). The aims of this strategy are:

to enhance public understanding of and confidence in the CJSNI;

to contribute to the openness and transparency of the CJSNI;

to ensure that the CJSNI is presented coherently; and

to focus on and target information appropriately to a variety of audiences in Northern Ireland, the wider United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and internationally, especially in the United States.

2.4.3 The Public Information Working Group will:

take forward work on the inclusion of a criminal justice module in the school civics curriculum;

produce a guide to the criminal justice system, co-ordinate a system-wide 'forward-look' to cover launches, announcements and major events;

develop options for innovative methods for disseminating information and increasing public understanding, for example videos and cd roms; and

consider ways to make the CJSNI website more user-friendly and informative.



2.4.4 Already, a number of cross-agency initiatives, which will have a positive impact in terms of achieving the community outreach objectives of the prosecution service, have already been taken forward by this group, including:

i. The development of a criminal justice website providing information about each of the criminal justice organisations in Northern Ireland; and

ii. Proposed changes to the Northern Ireland curriculum - the Curriculum Council has been be approached in line with recommendations 14 and 15 in order to consider the inclusion of a criminal justice module in the schools curriculum.

2.4.5 The prosecution service considers the work of the Public Information Working Group as a key mechanism for delivering community outreach both for the criminal justice system as a whole and for the prosecution service in particular.

2.5 Inter-Agency Approach

2.5.1 The prosecution service will work closely with its criminal justice partner organisations to ensure that any community outreach initiatives already underway are built on, as appropriate, to assist the prosecution service to meet its own outreach objectives.

2.5.2 In response to the recommendations of the Criminal Justice Review, the Court Service launched a comprehensive Community Outreach Strategy covering the period 2003 – 2006. This strategy contains a number of outreach initiatives which it may be appropriate for the prosecution service to participate in. One example of such an initiative which may benefit from prosecution service input is the Junior/Senior Mock Trial Competition. This nationally run competition aims to encourage greater responsibility, understanding and involvement of young people in our society. The Court Service has participated in this competition for some years now and NI schools have had considerable success. The prosecution service will liaise with the Court Service to establish whether the participation of prosecutors in this mock trial competition may provide greater exposure to the work of the new Public Prosecution Service to young people.

2.5.3 The Police Service has a comprehensive programme of outreach including:

road safety roadshows;

an extensive schools programme; and

public information events.

2.5.4 The prosecution service will liaise with the PSNI to assess whether any of the elements of the current Police outreach programme would benefit from involvement by prosecutors.



3. OUTREACH FOR THE COMMUNITY

3.1 Diversity and Equality

3.1.1 Community Outreach is for all members of the community. However, in order to effectively outreach to the overall community in Northern Ireland, it is imperative that we understand:

the diverse groups and persons which make up this overall community;

what community outreach services each of these groups and persons will be offered from the Public Prosecution Service; and

how each of these groups and persons wants their outreach services delivered.

3.1.2 In order to provide the required community outreach services in the optimum manner, there is a requirement to define the main groups and persons that the new Public Prosecution Service will deliver different services to or, indeed, deliver the same services in a different way.

3.1.3 The criteria used to define the key groups and persons of the community, against which the Public Prosecution Service will design its services (and the delivery of these services), are:

i. Particular needs e.g. for specific services or non-standard delivery methods for services;

ii. Priorities e.g. which groups are considered as a priority for the prosecution service in terms of education and outreach; and

iii. Particular interests e.g. groups with specialist expertise or groups with special interests.

3.2 Groups and Persons

3.2.1 The proposed groups and persons of the overall population of Northern Ireland that the new Public Prosecution Service will consider when outreaching to the community are detailed in the table below.

Segment Description

General Public The overall population of Northern Ireland.

Local Communities Local communities – homogeneous groups of people as defined by a range of factors including geographical proximity, common issues and particular needs.

Local community representatives include:

Members of Parliament (MPs);

Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs);



Local Councillors;

Community Groups; and

Church Leaders.

Minority Groups The Criminal Justice Review recommended that all criminal justice organisations should fully consider the particular needs of minority groups when designing their services.

Youths Persons aged 17 and below – this is a specific area of our population which has specific needs and must be considered in a manner which will provide opportunities for growth and development. The creation of the Youth Justice Agency is one tangible recognition by the Criminal Justice System that ‘youths’ are a specific segment of our population who should be dealt with in specific ways.

Children Persons aged 10 and below – the Criminal Justice Review identified that it is imperative to provide appropriate education for young children.

Voluntary Sector organisations

The Public Prosecution Service recognises that there are a wide range of voluntary sector organisations and charities that have a legitimate right for their views and concerns on the criminal justice system (for example, Victim Support for Northern Ireland, NSPCC, NIACRO, EXTERN, Women’s Aid), and the prosecution service in particular, to be listened to and considered.

These voluntary sector organisations are often focussed on specific issues (e.g. domestic violence, car crime) and, in addition to providing a channel of communication for a wide range of people (including victims) provide a useful challenge function for the prosecution service in the development of its policies.



4. COMMUNITY OUTREACH SERVICES

4.1 Introduction

4.1.1 This section provides a description of each of the principle services that the Public Prosecution Service will deliver in order to meet its community outreach objectives.

4.1.2 In addition to a high level description of the proposed service offering, performance measures and targets are defined against each service.

Performance Measures What criteria can be used to measure the commitment of the prosecution service to community outreach?

Targets What objectives does the prosecution service

have for the delivery of these community outreach services?

Specific targets against each of the proposed services will be established prior to the implementation of this strategy, at a regional level if appropriate, and reflected in the prosecution service’s forward business plan and in its published annual report.

4.1.3 It is imperative that realistic targets are set that reflect the:

newness of the concept of a formal community outreach programme for the prosecution service and the increased clarity that will come over time with actual experience of how the proposed community outreach services are delivered and received;

fact that the Pilot projects in the Public Prosecution Service has allowed the prosecution service to test various initiatives and monitor their effectiveness including gauging the reaction of the general public; and

‘real world’ resource constraints that the prosecution service, like every organisation, has placed on it – community outreach is a primary objective of the new service but there are other service delivery objectives which must also be focussed on.



4.2 Information Events

4.2.1 The Public Prosecution Service will hold Information Events at key milestones in both the implementation and on-going development of the new service.

4.2.2 Information Events will be held centrally and locally as appropriate. Attendees will be invited to such information events based on the nature of the subject matter to be discussed. Attendees will be drawn from all sections of our community. It is envisaged that these events will also be covered in the national, regional and local media.

4.2.3 The Public Prosecution Service held Information Events to mark the launch of each of its two Pilot Projects. These information events were held in Belfast (12th September 2003 and June 2005) and Omagh (31st March 2004). Invitees at this event were drawn from the major political parties, the main churches and various voluntary sector organisations.

Performance Measures Targets

Information events held Number of centrally driven information events per annum; and

Number of regionally driven events per annum.

4.3 Meeting the Community

4.3.1 The Public Prosecution Service will conduct meetings with local communities. These meetings will be conducted at local level through the regional structure of the new service. The purpose of these meetings will be to explain the role of the prosecutor and to enhance the understanding of how prosecutors work (i.e. how decisions are made) and to listen to concerns of the local communities about criminal justice processes and matters.

4.3.2 Potential contact points between the Public Prosecution Service and local communities will include:

Local elected representatives (including MEPs, MPs, MLAs and Councillors);

Church leaders;

Industry & commerce leaders;

District Policing Partnerships;

Resident Groups;

Ethnic Minorities e.g. Northern Ireland Council for Ethic Minorities (NICEM);

Youth Groups; and



Voluntary Organisations.

4.3.3 While it is envisaged that some of these meetings will be held in response to requests, it is expected that the vast majority of these meetings will be initiated by the prosecution service. The Regional Prosecutor, in each of the regions, will have lead responsibility for arranging and attending these meetings.


Meetings / Presentations / Talks Number of meetings held by the Regional Prosecutor per annum;

Percentage of requests for meetings responded to positively by Regional Prosecutor; and

Percentage of targeted groups (list to be defined centrally) met with by the Regional Prosecutor.

4.4 Inter-Agency Work

4.4.1 The Public Prosecution Service will work closely with statutory bodies, agencies and other organisations. The key purpose of this work is to enhance the understanding of how prosecutors work (i.e. how decisions are made) – it is envisaged that the focus is likely to be on policy issues. However, the prosecution service will work with other agencies such as the Police Service in an attempt to solve problems at a local level e.g. community safety.

4.4.2 Potential organisations that the Public Prosecution Service will interact with include:

Police Service of Northern Ireland;

Youth Justice Agency;

Probation Service;

Representative Groups (e.g. Women’s Aid); and

Other Voluntary Sector Organisations (e.g. Victim Support, NSPCC, NIACRO);

4.4.3 While some of this work may be properly conducted at a regional level, it is envisaged that a significant number will require liaison with the central policy team.


Inter–agency Programmes Number of inter-agency programmes participated in; and

Number of successful inter-agency programmes implemented.



4.5 Diversionary Schemes

4.5.1 The Criminal Justice Review stated that:

"It will be necessary for the prosecution service, together with the police, to engage with the community and other agencies and service providers about what is involved in the diversionary process and to seek to arrive at a clear understanding of what diversionary schemes and options may be available at the local level."

4.5.2 This is an opportunity to develop the community’s understanding of

diversionary schemes as an alternative to prosecution.

4.5.3 The Regional Prosecutor within each region will be responsible for working with the community, the Police Service, Youth Justice Agency and other agencies / service providers to both promote the concept of diversion and to identify what diversionary options are available within the region.

4.5.4 The Public Prosecution Service will not be responsible for ‘certifying’ or ‘approving’ individual diversionary schemes. This is a matter which must be taken forward in consultation with other criminal justice agencies including the Northern Ireland Office.


Diversionary Schemes Percentage of cases disposed of through the use of community based diversionary schemes.

4.6 School Visits

4.6.1 The Public Prosecution Service will visit local primary and secondary schools in order to give pupils an appreciation of the overall criminal justice system, the role of the prosecutor and an understanding of how prosecutors work. Information literature (e.g. school packs) will be developed to support this work.

4.6.2 It is envisaged that this work will be undertaken in conjunction with other criminal justice agencies in order to provide a more targeted and coordinated approach.

4.6.3 As noted above, the Public Information Working Group is working with the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in the development of the new citizenship module of the new school curriculum.




School Visits Number of primary schools visited in each region per annum;

Number of secondary level schools visited in each region per annum; and

Number of further education colleges / Universities (as applicable) visited in each region per annum.

4.7 Volunteerism

4.7.1 The new Public Prosecution Service will encourage and support volunteerism in it staff. A policy governing volunteerism will be developed by the prosecution service and opportunities to participate in volunteer activities will be identified and made available to all staff within the context of this policy.

4.7.2 The prosecution service will build relationships with organisations such as the Prince’s Trust and Business in the Community. The Prince’s Trust is a UK charity that helps young people over barriers and get their lives working through practical support including training, mentoring and financial assistance. Business in the Community is an independent charity with the objective of creating “a public benefit by working with companies to improve the positive impact of business in society”. Examples of typical initiatives include acting as mentors for secondary school children and participating in the ‘time to read’ initiative which is aimed at encouraging younger children to read.


Volunteerism Volunteerism policy to be defined and approved;

Number of formal relationships established with ‘enabling organisations’; and

Number of ‘man days’ spent on community volunteer work per region per annum.



5. SERVICE DELIVERY

5.1 Introduction

5.1.1 While it is imperative that these proposed community outreach services take full advantage of the regional structure of the new prosecution service there will be a central coordination function.

5.1.2 Implementation of this Community Outreach Strategy is likely to have significant resource implications for the Public Prosecution Service. A key principle of implementing this strategy is that all staff will have a responsibility to participate in the community outreach activities of the new prosecution service.

5.2 Roles & Responsibilities

5.2.1 The likely impact on resourcing within the new Public Prosecution Service of implementing this Community Outreach Strategy is detailed below.

Role in delivery of the prosecution service's Community Outreach Strategy

Director / Deputy The Director (and the deputy Director) will have ultimate responsibility for the service’s community outreach activities.

The Director (and the deputy Director) will participate in Community outreach activities as appropriate e.g. specific Information Events.

Assistant Director – Policy and Information Section.

Policy section will:

Develop and Review the prosecution service's Community Outreach Strategy and any associated policies e.g. volunteerism;

Represent the prosecution service on the Public Information Working Group;

Identify and prioritise target organisations and groups at a central and regional level;

Provide collateral for use in community outreach events;

Set up inter-agency protocols with other organisations in relation to any joint community outreach activities;



Set targets for community outreach activities both centrally and at a regional level; and

Monitor and quality assure community outreach activities across the prosecution service.

In addition, all new policies developed by the Department will be Reviewed to determine whether they should be put forward for consultation.

Senior Management Group The Deputy Director and the 3 Senior Assistant Directors will have a responsibility for both initiating and participating in specific community outreach activities in the context of their specific role within the organisation.

The Senior Management Group will have a shared responsibility to ensure that the prosecution service's Community Outreach Strategy is delivered.

Regional Prosecutors Regional Prosecutors will have responsibility for the service’s community outreach activities within their region.

Regional Prosecutors will:

Have responsibility for meeting the prosecution service's community outreach objectives in their region;

Act as the primary representative for the prosecution service in its regional community outreach activities - there will be specific performance measures set for each regional prosecutor in this area; and

Act as the primary spokesperson for the prosecution service in regional media.

It is envisaged that the Regional Prosecutor will be the ‘public face’ of the prosecution service in each region and will build effective working relationships with local community representatives (e.g. elected representatives, church and business leaders).



Senior Public Prosecutors All Senior Public Prosecutors will be expected

to participate in community outreach events as required.

It is envisaged that each Senior Public Prosecutor will participate in two community outreach events each year.

Public Prosecutors All Public Prosecutors will be expected to participate in community outreach events as required.

It is envisaged that each Public Prosecutor will participate in two community outreach events each year.

Administrative and Support Staff.

One of the key assumptions of this strategy is that non-legal staff within the prosecution service will be fully involved in the delivery of this community outreach strategy.

Senior staff administrative and support staff will be expected to participate in community outreach events as required – the vast majority of senior posts within the organisation will be set specific performance targets in relation to the delivery of this strategy.

Other administrative and support staff will be asked to volunteer for community outreach activities.

Community Liaison Function

There will be a Community Liaison function in each region. In addition to its work with victims and witnesses, this function will be responsible for the administration and scheduling of community outreach events e.g. liaising with local groups and schools, arranging staff to attend as required, etc.

5.2.2 It is often not appropriate for the prosecution service to comment publicly on

individual case at specific points in the progress of that case through the criminal justice system. However, where appropriate, the prosecution service will engage with regional and local media to increase public understanding of the issues facing prosecutors (including the factors which must be taken into account when taking prosecutorial decisions).

5.2.3 The prosecution service is in the process of establishing a dedicated team to handle external communications and there is an on-going programme to provide key individuals, e.g. regional prosecutors, with ‘media skills’.



5.2.4 The prosecution service’s Management Information Branch will work in conjunction with the Policy and Information Branch in the provision of data which reflects the on-going Community outreach activities within each Region. In terms of measuring the impact of these community outreach services (for example on the level of confidence that the population of Northern Ireland has in the independence of the new Public Prosecution Service), the prosecution service will continue to use the independent Omnibus survey as its primary means of assessment although specific tools will be considered, as appropriate, to measure the impact of specific population segments e.g. minority groups as required.



6. SUMMARY

6.1 Community Outreach Strategy

6.1.1 The prosecution service will undertake community outreach in order to:

“Increase public confidence in the independence, fairness and effectiveness of the new Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland.”

6.1.2 The strategy the prosecution service will adopt to achieve this aim will be

comprised of a range of components. These components will:

build on existing practices and on-going initiatives (e.g. the Criminal Justice System’s Public Information Working Group);

emphasise joint working (with other criminal justice organisations, the voluntary sector and community leaders);

have a local focus (through our network of regional offices across Northern Ireland).

6.1.3 The prosecution service will build partnerships with a wide range of voluntary

sector organisations in order to maximise the accessibility for the general public across the whole of Northern Ireland.

6.1.4 While this Community Outreach Strategy will assist with increasing public confidence in the new Public Prosecution Service as it evolves, it is imperative that there is a continuing focus on the core work of the service. The continuing conduct of prosecutions in an independent, fair and effective manner will be the key determining factor in the level of public confidence in the Public Prosecution Service.

6.1.5 The Criminal Justice Inspectorate will conduct an on-going programme of inspections of the prosecution service to ensure that it is meeting its objectives. Inspections of the prosecution service will serve to ensure the independence, fairness, effectiveness and efficiency of the overall criminal justice system.

6.1.6 This increased level of transparency and public accountability supported by the comprehensive set of community outreach activities outlined in this policy paper will allow the prosecution service to fulfil its responsibilities in increasing public confidence in itself and the overall criminal justice system.

6.1.7 This strategy for the period of 2006-2009 will be kept under continual review.


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