Published date:
This report provides an overview of the number of service users and the caseload i.e. the number of individual Orders and Licences supervised by the Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI) on 31 March 2024, as well as providing comparisons with previous years.
The key findings are as follows:
- On 31 March 2024, 4,258 service users were supervised by PBNI, an increase of 3.7% on the equivalent figure for 31 March 2023 (4,108).
- The caseload supervised by PBNI increased by 7.3% between 31 March 2023 (5,488) and 31 March 2024 (5,886).
- Determinate Custodial Sentences (DCS) accounted for the largest proportion of caseload (34.9%) supervised by PBNI in March 2024, followed by Probation Orders (31.0%).
- As in previous years, males accounted for the majority of service users being supervised (89.1%).
- In March 2024, over one-third (35.7%) of service users supervised by PBNI were aged 30 to 39.
- The PBNI Belfast Directorate were supervising the largest proportion of service users in March 2024 (34.2%), followed by the Rural Directorate (30.0%).
- Of the service users being supervised by PBNI on 31 March 2024, 28.9% were identified as high risk under the Assessment, Case Management & Evaluation System (ACE).
- On 31 March 2024, 656 service users (15.4% of all service users supervised by PBNI) were being managed under the Public Protection Arrangements for Northern Ireland (PPANI).
- In March 2024, 4.5% of service users supervised by PBNI (193 service users) were assessed as Significant Risk of Serious Harm to Others (SROSH).
- During 2023/24, 6,746 reports were completed by PBNI staff (excluding letters); the corresponding figure for 2022/23 was 7,101.
- The number of new victims registered with PBNI during 2023/24 was 323, a 3.2% increase on the 2022/23 figure (313).
- The total number of victims registered with PBNI increased by 2.5% from 471 on 31 March 2023 to 483 on 31 March 2024.