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There have been significant developments in the Criminal Justice System in the North of Ireland as a consequence of the Criminal Justice Review (2000).
The Review was a mechanism for taking forward objectives in the Belfast Agreement 1998 regarding the criminal justice system in the North of Ireland. Some developments as a consequence of the Review have been changes in the Police Service, the development of the Youth Justice Agency, Restorative Conferencing in juvenile offending, Community Safety Initiatives and the incorporation of Human Rights Legislation.
There have been many changes in criminal justice legislation in recent years . The Criminal Justice (NI) Order 1996 introduced changes to sentencing and community penalties. The Sex Offenders Act 1997 which was enacted in England and Wales and also applies to the North of Ireland. It requires convicted offenders to register with the police and underpins MASRAM (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Meeting) meetings between those involved in managing offenders in the community. The Criminal Justice - Children (NI) Order 1998 replaced those provisions of the Children and Young Persons Act 1968 that deal with children and young persons concerned in criminal proceedings.
In relation to juvenile offenders, the majority of children appearing in the juvenile court are also likely to qualify as children in need under Article 18 of the Children (NI) Order 1995. A proportion of serious persistent young offenders may also be sufficiently at risk of significant harm to satisfy the threshold conditions for Care or Supervision Orders.
The Anti-Social Behaviour (NI) Order 2004 brings Northern Ireland into line with other parts of the UK. This is a piece of civil, not criminal legislation but breach of an Order results in criminal penalties. It is intended to be used by civil authorities to manage anti-social behaviour.
Additional important pieces of legislation to be aware of include the Children and Young Persons Act 1968, the Probation Act (NI) 1950 and the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act , 1994.
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