Probation Service

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Role of The Probation Service

The Probation Service is a branch of the Department of Justice, committed to working to reduce offending, create safer communities and fewer victims through offender rehabilitation.

The Probation Service contributes towards this by:

• Ensuring court ordered supervision is implemented
• Reducing the likelihood of reoffending and risk of harm to the public
• Making good the harm done by crime (reparation and restorative justice)

The Probation Service delivers the following services:

• Offender assessment, supervision and sentence management
• Community Service and Community Return Schemes
• Young Peoples Probation (YPP)

Probation Officers become involved in the criminal justice process between the trial and the sentencing phases.

They provide the Judge with a pre-sanction assessment to help him or her decide on an appropriate sentence. Where the Judge decides that a non-custodial sentence involving supervision or community service is appropriate the Probation Service will ensure that the Court Order is implemented.

The Director of the Probation Service has responsibility for:

• The delivery of services to help protect the public, improve community safety and to support offenders, referred by the Courts and on release from custody, to reintegrate in society;
• The provision of probation supervision, community service, anti offending behaviour programmes and related specialist support services to both adult and young offenders, which aim to prevent them committing further offences.

• Read the Probation Service Strategy Statement 2021 – 2023.
• Read the Annual Reports from the Probation Service.
• Working to Change: Social Enterprise and Employment Strategy 2021 - 2023

Learn more about the Probation Service and its work.

Contact details for the Probation Service are available below.