An Inspection of Public Protection Arrangements Northern Ireland – Terms of Reference

Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJI) proposes to undertake an inspection of the operation of Public Protection Arrangements Northern Ireland (PPANI) across the criminal justice system.

PPANI is the multi‑agency framework for the assessment and management of risk posed by sexual and violent offenders, with the overarching aim of protecting the public and reducing reoffending.  Effective public protection arrangements rely on robust governance, timely information sharing, professional risk assessment and co-ordinated operational practice and response across all responsible authorities.

Criminal justice organisations have statutory and operational responsibilities within PPANI and play a critical role in identifying, assessing, managing and reviewing the risks presented by individuals subject to public protection arrangements.  The criminal justice organisations that have a duty to co-operate under Article 50 of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008^[1] are the Northern Ireland Prison Service, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Probation Board for Northern Ireland and the Youth Justice Agency.  These organisations will be the focus of this inspection in relation to multi-agency working with each other and the other partner organisations listed in the Article 50 guidance. This is a strategic review and assessment of how effectively those responsibilities are discharged collectively, in the interests of public safety and fostering public confidence.

The scale of PPANI shows an increase in the number of cases managed under the arrangements, highlighting a total increase of 416 individuals managed under PPANI since June 2023.  The PPANI Demand Review (2024)^[2] further identified growth in the number of individuals managed under the arrangements and pressures relating to governance, workforce capacity, information sharing and the sustainability of the current operating models. 

Table 1 highlights the upward trend of cases subject to PPANI arrangements since completion of the demand review in 2023.  

Table 1.  PPANI offenders managed per Category^[3]

	Cat 3	Cat 2	Cat 1	Total
June 2023	20	266	1515	1801
June 2026	48	408	1761	2217

Category 1 refers to those cases where the is no assessed need for multi-agency intervention.  The offender has either been set at category 1 following initial review or re-categorised downwards to category 1 and subsequently removed from the arrangements. 

Category 2 refers to those who require multi-agency intervention as there is clear and identifiable evidence that they could cause serious harm.  Category 3 refers to those who require intense and focused multi-agency intervention as there is clear evidence that they are highly likely to cause harm through carrying out a PPANI eligible offence.  

Context

PPANI was established under the Criminal Justice (NI) Order in October 2008, to provide a structured, multi‑agency approach to managing the risks posed by sexual and violent offenders living in the community.  It brings together criminal justice organisations, with contributions from other statutory and non‑statutory partners, to support effective risk management and information sharing.

Since PPANI’s introduction, there have been significant developments affecting public protection arrangements, including:

• evolving expectations around risk assessment, defensible decision‑making and information sharing;
• an increase in the numbers of violent offenders being managed under the PPANI arrangement following legislative reform to address violence against women and girls including the introduction of Domestic Abuse^[4] and Non-fatal Strangulation^[5] offences;
• increasing complexity in offender profiles, including mental health, substance misuse and safeguarding and protection considerations;
• heightened public, media and political scrutiny following serious further offences; and
• broader reforms across the criminal justice system affecting governance, workforce capacity, and inter‑agency collaboration.

CJI has previously examined aspects of public protection and risk management through thematic and organisational inspections.  This includes previous inspections of PPANI (most recently in 2019^[6]) reviews of Probation Approved Premises (where many PPANI offenders may reside on release from prison under licence, most recently in 2026^[7]) and relevant aspects of the work of the Northern Ireland Prison Service^[8] and the Probation Board for Northern Ireland^[9].  As part of its approved Inspection Programme, CJI considers it timely and necessary to conduct a system‑wide inspection of PPANI arrangements, focusing on strategic oversight, effectiveness, and readiness to meet current and emerging public protection challenges.

In the 2026 Follow-Up Review of Approved Premises^[10], all seven approved premises were visited and discussions held with managers, staff and residents.  This will not be repeated during this inspection, but relevant information will be drawn upon where appropriate.

Aims of the Inspection

The aims of the inspection are to:

• examine the strategic, legislative, and policy framework governing PPANI in Northern Ireland;
• assess the governance, accountability, partnership and leadership arrangements supporting PPANI at strategic and operational levels;
• review the effectiveness of multi‑agency collaboration at a strategic and operational level, including information sharing and joint decision‑making;
• examine the processes for risk identification, assessment, management and review, including escalation and de‑escalation and outcomes achieved;
• examine arrangements for victim and public safety, including links with safeguarding, protection and victim support processes;
• review training, guidance and support available to staff involved in PPANI;
• assess performance management, assurance, and organisational learning, including responses to serious further offences; and
• consider any other matters arising during the inspection, if deemed appropriate by CJI.

Methodology

The inspection will be conducted in line with the CJI Inspection Framework, which considers:

• Strategy and Governance
• Delivery
• Outcomes.

Across all elements, Inspectors will consider equality, fairness, proportionality, and adherence to standards and best practice.

Further detail on CJI’s inspection methodology is set out in The Inspection Process on the CJI website.

CJI will utilise a subject matter expert from our Associate Inspectors list to assist throughout the planning, fieldwork and findings stages of this inspection. 

Design and Planning

Preliminary research
Initial research will be undertaken to inform the scope of the inspection, including review of relevant legislation, policy, guidance, inspection reports, and publicly available information.

Contact with organisations
These Terms of Reference will be shared with Responsible Authorities including the Northern Ireland Prison Service, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Probation Board for Northern Ireland and the Department of Justice and with other relevant partner organisations.  Liaison Officers should be nominated to support the inspection process.

CJI will request relevant policies, procedures, governance documentation, management information, audit reports, and meeting minutes for review.

Delivery

Stakeholder consultation
Relevant statutory, voluntary and community sector stakeholders, as well as partner inspectorates where appropriate, will be consulted as part of the inspection

.

Self‑assessment
PPANI Responsible Authorities will be invited to complete a self‑assessment, which will be reviewed and tested during fieldwork.

Fieldwork
Fieldwork will include interviews and focus groups with strategic leaders, managers, and operational staff involved in PPANI.

Fieldwork and evidence gathering for CJI’s recent Follow-Up Review of the 2023 Review of Approved Premises obtained views of service users residing in approved premises who were managed under PPANI.  These will be drawn on, where appropriate, for this inspection. 

Inspectors intend to review a sample of PPANI cases, including risk assessments, risk management plans, and review documentation, to assess how arrangements operate in practice.

Initial feedback
On conclusion of fieldwork, evidence will be collated, triangulated and analysed.  Emerging findings will be shared with the inspected organisations.

Reporting

Draft report
A draft inspection report will be shared with inspected bodies for a factual accuracy check.

The Chief Inspector will invite inspected organisations to complete an action plan within six weeks to address any recommendations.  Where available and agreed, the action plan will be published alongside the final report.

Publication and closure
The final report will be submitted to the Minister of Justice for permission to publish.  Once approved, the report will be finalised and published.  A press release will be prepared and shared with inspected bodies in advance of publication.

Indicative Timetable

Scoping and research: March to June 2026

Stakeholder consultation: August to September 2026

Fieldwork following self-assessment: October to November 2026

Draft report to agencies: Early 2027

The timetable may be impacted by factors outside CJI’s control.  Inspected organisations will be kept informed of any significant changes.

---

[1] Department of Justice, Guidance to agencies on public protection arrangements (PPANI): Article 50, Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008, available at https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/publications/guidance-agencies-public-protection-arrangements.

[2] A Review of Current Demand with Public Protection Agencies in Northern Ireland; Review specific to the cohort of Sexual and Violent offenders.

[3] June 2023 & June 2026 statistics available at https://www.publicprotectionni.com/statistics/.

[4] Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act (Northern Ireland)2021 available at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2021/2.

[5] Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 available at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2022/19.

[6] CJI, Risk Management and public protection arrangements available at https://www.cjini.org/report-category/risk-management-and-public-protection-arragements/.

[7]CJI, A Review of Probation Approved Premises in Northern Ireland, June 2026, available at https://www.cjini.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Review-of-Probation-Approved-Premises-Key-Facts.pdf.

[8] CJI, Prisons inspections available at https://www.cjini.org/report-category/prisons/.

[9] CJI, Probation Board for Northern Ireland inspections available at https://www.cjini.org/report-category/probation-board-for-northern-ireland/.

[10] CJI, A Review of Probation Approved Premises A Follow-Up Review available at https://www.cjini.org/reports/follow-up-review-of-of-the-2023-approved-premises-inspection.

Please note: URLs included in these Terms of Reference may stop working overtime