Probation Service

The Probation Service is playing a bigger role in the development of new legislation following the establishment of its legal and quality assurance (LQA) unit, according to its latest annual report. The LQA unit was established in December 2020 and became operational in January 2021.

The Probation Service has announced the appointment of Olivia Keaveney as its new deputy director of operations for courts and community. Ms Keaveney brings more than 18 years' senior management experience across the Probation Service and the charity sector. She previously held the position of assis

Offenders on probation have "significant and unmet" mental health needs which must become a "priority area" for the Probation Service, a new report warns. The report – authored by Dr Christina Power, senior clinical psychologist at the Probation Service – was published this morning and m

More than 16,500 offenders were referred to the Probation Service from courts across the State last year. The latest annual report, published yesterday, details "another busy year" for the service and measures its performance against its strategic plan for 2018 to 2020.

Qualified social worker Mark Wilson has been appointed as director of the Probation Service, succeeding Vivian Geiran. Mr Geiran retired last December, having worked in the Probation Service for over 30 years, including as director for over seven years.

A new €1 million initiative has been launched to help social enterprises develop greater employment opportunities for people with a criminal past. The Probation Service and Pobal yesterday announced the launch of the "KickStart" start-up, development and/or job creation fund, which has been fin

The reoffending rate among offenders managed by the Probation Service has declined from its 2008 peak, according to new figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The Probation Reoffending Statistics for the 2013, 2014 and 2015 cohorts show that the level of reoffending within one year

Criminal justice stakeholders from north and south of the border will meet in Belfast today to share practice on how to reduce re-offending by adopting a "trauma-informed approach". The event, hosted jointly by the Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI) and the Irish Probation Service at the Pa

Nearly 2,500 offenders carried out over 355,000 hours of community service work in lieu of serving prison sentences last year, new figures reveal. The Probation Service worked with almost 16,000 offenders referred from the courts nationwide, according to the 2018 annual report for the service.