Home > NEWS > CJI News Archive > 2021 > July - September > Effective penalty enforcement vital for public confidence in justice system Effective penalty enforcement vital for public confidence in justice system 09/07/2021 Chief Inspector Jacqui Durkin has welcomed the work of the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service’s Fine Collection and Enforcement Service (FCS) to reduce the level of outstanding fines and monetary penalties. Chief Inspector Jacqui Durkin has welcomed the work of the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service’s Fine Collection and Enforcement Service (FCS) to reduce the level of outstanding fines and monetary penalties. “Thousands of fines worth millions of pounds are imposed by courts in Northern Ireland every year and if these fines are not paid, effective enforcement action is needed. It is entirely reasonable for the public to expect that when a fine or monetary penalty is imposed at court as a consequence of committing a criminal offence, the penalty will be paid,” said Ms Durkin. “Since it began operating in 2018 the number of people paying their fines after the FCS become involved has increased significantly, but the FCS need the right tools to help them do their job and maximise their potential,” she said. CJI Inspectors who looked at the current fine default strategy and services recommended that the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service dedicate additional resources to pursuing around 52,600 legacy cases worth over £13 million which pre-dated the establishment of the FSC and remained outstanding. Inspectors also recommended that work be undertaken to understand why the investment in Supervised Activity Orders, as an alternative to imprisonment for those who did not have the means to pay an outstanding fine or fines, had not been realised. “Courts also need to secure additional contact details such as mobile phone numbers and email addresses when a fines is imposed so individuals are easier to contact when they default on their fine instead of relying on posted letters or personal summons,” she said. Ms Durkin welcomed the recent Order made in the Northern Ireland Assembly to progress the changes required to enable Universal Credit benefit to be added to the existing list of benefits from which deductions may be considered. “This is a welcome development that will allow the FSC to progress around 4,700 cases worth an estimated £1.12 million,” she said.