The Statistics and Research Branch of Probation has a complement of two statisticians who are on secondment from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. The key aim of the branch is to provide Probation with statistics and research services to inform and improve its own practice.
In this section you can find statistical information on the Probation Caseload, which is published on this website on a regular basis.
If any additional information is required, requests can be made by contacting us and will be considered on a case by case basis. We welcome feedback on our statistics. If you would like to comment on any of our statistics, receive notification of new publications or be kept informed of developments, then please forward your contact details to statistics&research@probation-ni.gov.uk and we will add you to our email list.
Official Statistics
The Probation Board for Northern Ireland is listed in The Official Statistics Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 as a producer of official statistics and is therefore subject to the Statistics & Registration Service Act 2007.
All statistics produced by Probation are designated as ‘Official Statistics’. The Statistics & Registration Service Act 2007 was introduced on 1st April 2008 with the aim of enhancing levels of public confidence in official statistics. As a result the UK Statistics Authority was formed as an independent, non-ministerial government department directly accountable to Parliament. Its statutory objective is to promote and safeguard the production and publication of official statistics that serve the public good.
Legislation
The UK Statistics Authority publishes the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Statisticians from the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency (NISRA) are seconded to PBNI and are responsible for ensuring that the statistics they produce comply with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
Relevant information relating to the production and release of official statistics are detailed in the following documents:
- Revisions Policy
- Statement of administrative sources
- Office for Statistics Regulation exemption letter for Probation statistical releases
- Pre-Release Access List
Methodology
Probation caseload statistics present data on the caseload i.e. the number of individual Orders and Licences being supervised by the Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI) at a point in time: namely the end of the quarter. Data are also presented at service user level as individual service users can be under supervision with PBNI for multiple Orders/Licences at any given time.
Information is also presented on the number of reports completed by PBNI and the number of victims registered.
Please see the publishing schedule below for issue dates.
Annual Caseload Statistics
This report provides statistics on PBNI caseload at of 31 March and includes comparisons with previous financial years.
For previous reports please view the Caseload Section in Publications
Users should contact Statistics and Research Branch if historical data prior to March 2020 is required.
Quarterly Caseload Statistics
These reports provide statistics on PBNI caseload as of the last day of the quarter and includes comparisons with previous financial quarters.
The quarterly updates for reports completed and victims registered should be treated as provisional as they may be revised when figures are finalised during the production of the end of year annual report.
- Probation Caseload Statistics: 2024/25 Quarter 1 (provisional in-year statistics)
- Probation Caseload Statistics: 2024/25 Quarter 2 (provisional in-year statistics)
For previous reports please view the Caseload Section in Publications
Publishing schedule
Probation Caseload Statistics reports will be produced by Probation Statistics & Research Branch as follows:
| Report Title | Release date |
|---|---|
| Probation Caseload Statistics: 2024/25 Quarter 2 | 27 November 2024 |
| Probation Caseload Statistics: 2024/25 Quarter 3 | 26 February 2025 |
The 2023/24 Annual Caseload Statistics and all subsequent publications will also be available on the gov.uk site.