The Northern Ireland Office published findings from the 2003-04 Northern Ireland Crime Survey. Over half (52 per cent) of respondents felt that crime had increased a little or a lot in their local area in the previous two years.
Source: P. Campbell and B. French, Perceptions of and Concern about Crime in Northern Ireland: Findings from the 2003/04 Northern Ireland Crime Survey, Research and Statistical Bulletin 6/2004, Statistics and Research Branch/Northern Ireland Office (028 9052 7534)
Links: Report (pdf) | NIO press release
Date: 2004-Dec
A report examined the law in Northern Ireland as it related to alleged injustices suffered by people who had been arrested (whether or not the arrest itself was lawful). It recommended a statutory right to compensation for arrested persons who had been unlawfully denied access to a solicitor, or who had suffered torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in breach of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Source: The Rights of People Who Have Been Arrested, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (028 9024 3987)
Links: Report (pdf) | NIHRC press release
Date: 2004-Dec
A report examined the conditions of imprisonment of women and girls in Northern Ireland, and the implications for their human rights.
Source: Phil Scraton and Linda Moore, The Hurt Inside: The imprisonment of women and girls in Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (028 9024 3987)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Oct
An inspectorate report said that the police service in Northern Ireland had 'a number of significant challenges' to meet before its performance reached the standards expected both by the government and the communities of Northern Ireland.
Source: Baseline Assessment of the Police Service of Northern Ireland: April 2004, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (01527 882000)
Links: Report (pdf) | NIO press release
Date: 2004-Aug
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on its proposals to legislate against hate crime. It accepted the committee's recommendation to include provisions to protect people with disabilities.
Source: 'Hate Crime': The Draft Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 - Government response, Fifth Special Report (Session 2003-04), HC 954, House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2004-Jul
A report evaluated the effectiveness of projects designed to divert young people away from the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland. The general conclusion of the study was positive: the projects reflected and confirmed current theory and research about how to deal with young people at risk.
Source: Helen Dawson, Seamus Dunn, Valerie Morgan, and Amanda Hayes, Evaluation of the Youth Justice Agency Community Services, Research and Statistical Report 11, Northern Ireland Office (028 9052 7534)
Links: Report (pdf) | NIO press release
Date: 2004-Jul
Draft legislation was published aimed at tackling 'hate crime' in Northern Ireland. There would be a statutory requirement for judges to treat racial and religious aggravation, and hatred of sexual orientation or disability, as an aggravating factor when sentencing.
Source: Draft Criminal Justice (No.2) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, Northern Ireland Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Draft order | Explanatory note | NIO press release
Date: 2004-Jun
A report by a committee of MPs said that there was evidence of a 'significant and rapidly growing' problem of 'hate crime' in Northern Ireland.
Source: 'Hate Crime': The Draft Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, Fifth Report (Session 2003-04), HC 615, House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2004-May
The government announced plans to introduce anti-social behaviour orders in Northern Ireland. Police, district councils or the Northern Ireland Housing Executive would be able to apply to a magistrate for an order against anyone destroying property or harassing their neighbours. Orders would not be used to tackle sectarian violence. But the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People applied for a judicial review of the consultation process on the proposed legislation.
Source: Proposal for a Draft Anti-Social Behaviour (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, Northern Ireland Office (028 9052 0700)
Links: Proposal (pdf) | NIO press release | NICCY press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-May
The Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2004 received Royal assent. The Act provided for a Judicial Appointments Commission, charged with securing a judiciary in Northern Ireland that was as reflective of Northern Ireland society as could be achieved consistently with the requirement of appointment on merit.
Source: Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2004, Northern Ireland Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act | Explanatory notes
Date: 2004-May
A survey of people aged 16-59 in Northern Ireland found that 14 per cent of respondents claimed to have been victims of domestic violence at some time in their lives, with females (16 per cent) experiencing a higher victimisation rate than males (11 per cent). A greater proportion of those aged 16-29 (17 per cent) claimed to have been victims of domestic violence than those aged 30-59 (13 per cent). Protestant respondents (16 per cent) were more likely to have experienced domestic violence than Catholic respondents (12 per cent).
Source: Rob Freel and Edel Robinson, Experience of Domestic Violence in Northern Ireland: Findings from the 2001 Northern Ireland Crime Survey, Research and Statistical Bulletin 1/2004, Northern Ireland Office (028 9052 0700)
Links: Report (pdf) | NIO press release
Date: 2004-Mar
The government announced draft proposals to tackle 'hate crime' in Northern Ireland. There would be a statutory requirement for judges to treat racial and religious aggravation and hatred of sexual orientation as an aggravating factor when sentencing.
Source: Draft Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, Northern Ireland Office (028 9052 0700)
Links: Draft order (pdf) | NIO press release
Date: 2004-Feb
The Northern Ireland Office published the results of research into the views of victims and witnesses on their treatment by various criminal justice organisations and others working within the criminal justice system. Of the research sample 56 per cent of those interviewed were satisfied by their overall treatment and 42 per cent dissatisfied.
Source: Victims' and Witnesses' Views on their Treatment in the Criminal Justice System, Research and Statistical Series 10, Northern Ireland Office (028 9052 0700)
Links: Report (pdf) | NIO press release
Date: 2004-Feb