Probation Board for Northern Ireland
The Probation Board for Northern Ireland is a non-departmental public body funded by the Northern Ireland Office and was set up in 1982.
PBNI’s purpose is to:
“protect the public by working with the Courts, other Agencies and Partners to reduce re-offending and integrate offenders successfully back into the community.”
We employ more than 300 people and just under half of these are Probation Officers based in more than 30 area offices all over Northern Ireland.
We have a number of functions which are laid down in legislation:
- to carry out professional risk assessments and provide reports to Courts. Pre-Sentence Reports make a contribution to the sentencing decisions made by Magistrates and Judges;
- to supervise offenders in the community;
- to have staff who work in prisons providing a range of services in the supervision and assistance of offenders towards the prevention of crime;and
- to provide reports for Life Sentence Review Commissioners.
PBNI provides programmes for offenders sentenced to community supervision, including community service, in order to reduce re-offending and to protect the public.
For more information on the Probation Board for Northern Ireland, please click here.