100-725: The Northern Ireland Prison Service is the agency charged with managing prisons in Northern Ireland. It is an executive agency of the Department of Justice , the headquarters of which are in Dundonald House in the Stormont Estate in Belfast . The service's stated aim is "to improve public safety by reducing the risk of re-offending through the management and rehabilitation of offenders in custody". It
200-577: A United Nations peacekeeping force to be deployed and said that Irish Army field hospitals were being set up at the border in County Donegal near Derry. Lynch added that Irish re-unification would be the only permanent solution. Some interpreted the speech as a threat of military intervention. After the riots, Lynch ordered the Irish Army to plan for a possible humanitarian intervention in Northern Ireland. The plan, Exercise Armageddon ,
300-600: A " low-intensity conflict ", the Troubles were a political and nationalistic struggle fuelled by historical events, with a strong ethnic and sectarian dimension, fought over the status of Northern Ireland . Unionists and loyalists , who for historical reasons were mostly Ulster Protestants , wanted Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom. Irish nationalists and republicans , who were mostly Irish Catholics , wanted Northern Ireland to leave
400-570: A block of flats in a nationalist district, killing a nine-year-old boy named Patrick Rooney. RUC officers opened fire on rioters in Armagh, Dungannon, and Coalisland. During the riots, on 13 August, Taoiseach Jack Lynch made a television address . He condemned the RUC and said that the Irish Government "can no longer stand by and see innocent people injured and perhaps worse". He called for
500-457: A dark blue uniform (in contrast to the black uniform worn in England & Wales ). The formal uniform consists of a white shirt, dark blue tie, dark blue tunic and trousers (for males) or skirt (for females), black shoes or boots, black gloves and a dark blue peaked cap for males and Kepi -style cap for females. Medals and a whistle on a chain are worn on the tunics. For everyday use, the tunic
600-450: A disproportionate majority and abolished proportional representation in favour of first past the post voting. This resulted in control by unionists of areas such as Derry City, Fermanagh, and Tyrone, where they were actually a minority of voters. The two sides' positions became strictly defined following this period. From a unionist perspective, Northern Ireland's nationalists were inherently disloyal and determined to force unionists into
700-574: A few years. There is little agreement on the exact date of the start of the Troubles. Different writers have suggested different dates. These include the formation of the modern Ulster Volunteer Force in 1966, the civil rights march in Derry on 5 October 1968, the beginning of the ' Battle of the Bogside ' on 12 August 1969, or the deployment of British troops on 14 August 1969. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, passed by
800-554: A form of vigilante justice by paramilitary groups that continues after the Troubles. The Minister of Justice is elected by a cross-community vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly , unlike all other Northern Ireland Executive posts, which are either allocated by the d'Hondt method or appointed directly by the largest parties (i.e. the First Minister and the deputy First Minister ). The exception
900-505: A government office which by 1925 had prepared 56 boxes of files to argue its case for large areas of Northern Ireland to be transferred to the Free State. Northern Ireland remained a part of the United Kingdom, albeit under a separate system of government whereby it was given its own parliament and devolved government . While this arrangement met the desires of unionists to remain part of the United Kingdom, nationalists largely viewed
1000-458: A house in Caledon, County Tyrone . The local council had allocated the house to an unmarried 19-year-old Protestant (Emily Beattie, the secretary of a local UUP politician) instead of either of two large Catholic families with children. RUC officers – one of whom was Beattie's brother – forcibly removed the activists. Two days before the protest, the two Catholic families who had been squatting in
1100-705: A number of events in these years to explain the upsurge in violence. One such incident was the Falls Curfew in July 1970, when 3,000 troops imposed a curfew on the nationalist Lower Falls area of Belfast, firing more than 1,500 rounds of ammunition in gun battles with the Official IRA and killing four people. Another was the introduction of internment without trial in 1971 (of 350 initial detainees, none were Protestants). Moreover, due to poor intelligence, very few of those interned were actually republican activists at
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#17327810415311200-622: A peace centre at the site broke down in 2019 when the European Union withdrew funding due to disagreements between the political parties. Unionist parties feared that the site could become a shrine to IRA members such as Bobby Sands , who died in the hospital block while on hunger strike. The site is now home to a number of organisations, such as the Ulster Aviation society, and the Balmoral Show . Much like officers of
1300-466: A planned ambush. When the march reached Derry City, it was again attacked. The marchers claimed that police did nothing to protect them and that some officers helped the attackers. That night, RUC officers went on a rampage in the Bogside area of Derry, attacking Catholic homes, attacking and threatening residents, and hurling sectarian abuse. Residents then sealed off the Bogside with barricades to keep
1400-464: A single unit (normally referred to as a House) overseen by a Senior Officer, and usually with three or four staff to a wing. Larger units such as Davis House may have three or four Senior Officers in command, and dozens of officers on the wings. The overall manager of a unit or house is the Unit Manager, a junior Governor grade, who has overall responsibility for their house and line management of
1500-588: A student civil rights group, People's Democracy , was formed in Belfast. In late November, O'Neill promised the civil rights movement some concessions, but these were seen as too little by nationalists and too much by loyalists. On 1 January 1969, People's Democracy began a four-day march from Belfast to Derry, which was repeatedly harassed and attacked by loyalists. At Burntollet Bridge , the marchers were attacked by about 200 loyalists, including some off-duty police officers, armed with iron bars, bricks, and bottles in
1600-548: A subdivision of the prison service, maintains its own rank structure, which are as follows in descending rank order: Department of Justice (Northern Ireland) Ministry of Home Affairs (1921–1972) Northern Ireland Office (1972–2010) Courts: Lord Chancellor of Ireland (1921–1922) Lord Chancellor's Department (1922–2003) Department for Constitutional Affairs (2003–2007) Lowercase "d" per here . The Department of Justice ( Irish : An Roinn Dlí agus Cirt , Ulster-Scots : Männystrie o tha Laa )
1700-406: A united Ireland. This threat was seen as justifying preferential treatment of unionists in housing, employment, and other fields. The prevalence of larger families and thus the potential for a more rapid population growth among Catholics was seen as a threat. Unionist governments ignored Edward Carson 's warning in 1921 that alienating Catholics would make Northern Ireland inherently unstable. After
1800-717: Is a government department in the Northern Ireland Executive , which was established on 12 April 2010 as part of the devolution of justice matters to the Northern Ireland Assembly . The department's Permanent Secretary is Hugh Widdis. It combines the previous work of the Northern Ireland Office and the Ministry of Justice , within the United Kingdom Government , which were respectively responsible for justice policy and
1900-818: Is distinct from His Majesty's Prison Service , which manages most prisons in England & Wales, and the Scottish Prison Service , which manages most prisons in Scotland. The Prison Service is responsible for providing prison services in Northern Ireland . Its main statutory duties are set out in the Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953 (c. 18 (N.I.)) and rules made under the act. Prior to partition, prisons in Ireland were administered by
2000-642: Is replaced with a fleece or NATO-style pullover. Tunics are no longer issued to new recruits and skirts are no longer issued to new female recruits, but both may still be used for some ceremonial duties. Prison officers in Hydebank do not wear a prison service uniform, but adopt instead a professional smart-casual dress code. In contrast to the Police Service of Northern Ireland , the Northern Ireland Prison Service maintains
2100-560: Is responsible for most everyday policing and justice powers in Northern Ireland. In 2009, responsibility for Interfaces Areas and Peacewalls passed from the Northern Ireland Office to the Minister of Justice. As such, the Department of Justice is responsible for the policy of 'removal of all peacewalls in Northern Ireland by 2023'. The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 outlines
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#17327810415312200-463: Is taken up with unresolved cases arising from the Troubles , continuing paramilitary activity and tensions caused by sectarian division. The border results in differences in law between Northern Ireland (the only UK jurisdiction with an international land border) and the Republic of Ireland, which are exploited through smuggling and other forms of crime. The border has become an external border of
2300-872: The Ministry of Justice in May 2007. Most aspects of social and economic policy were devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive in December 1999. The devolution of policing and justice was pledged in the St Andrews Agreement (of October 2006) and the Hillsborough Castle Agreement (of February 2010) and occurred in April 2010. In October 2018, the department launched the "Ending the Harm" campaign to end paramilitary punishment attacks ,
2400-732: The Acts of Union 1800 (which came into force on 1 January 1801), a new political framework was formed with the abolition of the Irish Parliament and incorporation of Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . The result was a closer tie between Anglicans and the formerly republican Presbyterians as part of a "loyal" Protestant community. Although Catholic emancipation was achieved in 1829, largely eliminating official discrimination against Roman Catholics (then around 75% of Ireland's population), Dissenters, and Jews,
2500-479: The Department of Justice following the devolution of justice powers on 12 April 2010. The Prison Service is a major component of the wider criminal justice system and contributes to achieving the system's overall aims and objectives. As the responsible minister, Minister of Justice accounts to Northern Ireland Assembly for the Prison Service and shares Ministerial responsibility and accountability for
2600-497: The European Union , following Brexit . The 2016–2017 Northern Ireland Executive budget allocated a £1,050.5 million resource budget to the Department of Justice: This represented an increase from the previous resource budget of £1,023.9 million. The department's capital budget was £58 million, allocated as follows: The Northern Ireland Executive was also provided with £32 million for national security in relation to Northern Ireland, £30 million for legacy bodies to deal with
2700-662: The Irish Parliament in the Act of Explanation (1665) "our royal father of blessed memory had been forced, during the late troubles, to make with the Irish subjects of that our kingdom" (Irish Parliament 1665, § 2). The term was used to describe the Irish revolutionary period in the early twentieth century. It was subsequently adopted to refer to the escalating violence in Northern Ireland after 1969. In 1609, Scottish and English settlers, known as planters , were given land escheated from
2800-693: The Irish Republican Army survived the Irish Civil War . This would come to have a major impact on Northern Ireland. Although the IRA was proscribed on both sides of the new Irish border , it remained ideologically committed to overthrowing both the Northern Ireland and the Free State governments by force of arms to unify Ireland. The government of Northern Ireland passed the Special Powers Act in 1922, giving sweeping powers to
2900-662: The National Volunteers , supporting the war effort, and some of them joining Irish regiments of the New British Army . Many of those who stayed were radical nationalists, among them Irish Republican Brotherhood infiltrators. From these ranks came those who launched the Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916, led by Patrick Pearse and James Connolly . Two-and-a-half years after the executions of sixteen of
3000-570: The Police Service of Northern Ireland , prison officers in Northern Ireland remain under a severe level of threat from dissident Republican terrorist groups, and - to a lesser extent - Loyalist paramilitary terrorist groups. Over thirty prison officers have been murdered in the line of duty in Northern Ireland, the vast majority by paramilitary terrorist groups. The most recent murders were that of David Black, shot dead on his way to work in 2012, and Adrian Ismay, who died in hospital eleven days after an IED detonated under his vehicle in 2016. Due to
3100-611: The Repeal Association 's campaign to repeal the 1801 Union failed. In the late 19th century, the Home Rule movement was created and served to define the divide between most nationalists (usually Catholics) who sought the restoration of an Irish Parliament, and most unionists (usually Protestants) who were afraid of being a minority under a Catholic-dominated Irish Parliament and who tended to support continuing union with Great Britain. Unionists and Home Rule advocates were
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3200-590: The Restoration in 1660, the English Act of free and general pardon, indemnity and oblivion starts with "The King's most excellent Majesty, taking into his gracious and serious consideration the long and great troubles ..."; as does the similar act in Scotland: "The king's most excellent majesty, considering that by the late troubles diverse of his subjects ..." (Scottish Parliament 1662); and by
3300-573: The Royal cypher on its cap badge, and the acronym "HMP" on its epaulettes. Prison officers (historically known as "warders"), under the Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953, have " all the powers, authority, protection and privileges of a constable " whilst acting as such. Prison Officers may carry weapons and use reasonable force (as sworn constables) to protect people. They carry expandable batons. Most prison officers work in teams or shifts, with
3400-576: The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Ulster Defence Association (UDA); British state security forces such as the British Army and RUC; and political activists. The security forces of the Republic of Ireland played a smaller role. Republicans carried out a guerrilla campaign against British forces as well as a bombing campaign against infrastructural, commercial, and political targets. Loyalists attacked republicans/nationalists and
3500-650: The United Kingdom and join a united Ireland . Despite the division between Protestants and Catholics , it was not primarily a religious war . The conflict began during a campaign by the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association to end discrimination against the Catholic-nationalist minority by the Protestant-unionist government and local authorities. The government attempted to suppress
3600-617: The security forces 10%. The Northern Ireland peace process led to paramilitary ceasefires and talks between the main political parties, which resulted in the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. This Agreement restored self-government to Northern Ireland on the basis of " power-sharing " and it included acceptance of the principle of consent , commitment to civil and political rights , parity of esteem , police reform , paramilitary disarmament and early release of paramilitary prisoners. There has been sporadic violence since
3700-407: The 32 Irish counties. In Ulster , particularly in the six counties which became Northern Ireland , Sinn Féin fared relatively poorly in the 1918 election, and unionists won a majority. The Government of Ireland Act 1920 partitioned the island of Ireland into two separate jurisdictions, Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland, both devolved regions of the United Kingdom. This partition of Ireland
3800-571: The Agreement, including punishment attacks , loyalist gangs' control of major organised crime rackets (e.g., drugs supply, community coercion and violence, intimidation), and violent crime linked to dissident republican groups . The word "troubles" has been used as a synonym for violent conflict for centuries. It was used to describe the 17th-century Wars of the Three Kingdoms by all three national parliaments. For example, after
3900-474: The British Army started construction of the first "peace wall". It was the first of many such walls across Northern Ireland, and still stands today. After the riots, the Hunt Committee was set up to examine the RUC. It published its report on 12 October, recommending that the RUC become an unarmed force and the B Specials be disbanded. That night, loyalists took to the streets of Belfast in protest at
4000-474: The IRA split into the 'Provisional' and 'Official' factions. While the older IRA had embraced non-violent civil agitation, the new Provisional IRA was determined to wage "armed struggle" against British rule in Northern Ireland. The new IRA was willing to take on the role of "defenders of the Catholic community", rather than seeking working-class ecumenical unity across both communities. Nationalists point to
4100-414: The IRA, and British soldiers were sent to guard installations. Unionist support for O'Neill waned, and on 28 April he resigned as prime minister. On 19 April, there were clashes between NICRA marchers, the RUC, and loyalists in the Bogside. RUC officers entered the house of Samuel Devenny (42), an uninvolved Catholic civilian, and beat him along with two of his teenage daughters and a family friend. One of
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4200-538: The Irish Catholic ability to rent. With Irish Catholics allowed to buy land and enter trades from which they had formerly been banned, tensions arose resulting in the Protestant " Peep o' Day Boys " and Catholic " Defenders ". This created polarisation between the communities and a dramatic reduction in reformers among Protestants, many of whom had been growing more receptive to democratic reform. Following
4300-493: The Parliament of the United Kingdom, defined the start of the Troubles as 1 January 1966 for the purposes of the act. In March and April 1966, Irish nationalists/republicans held parades throughout Ireland to mark the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising . On 8 March, a group of Irish republicans dynamited Nelson's Pillar in Dublin. At the time, the IRA was weak and not engaged in armed action, but some unionists warned it
4400-533: The Prison Board of Ireland. After the Government of Ireland Act 1920 , control of prisons in Northern Ireland was formally handed over from the Prison Board of Ireland on 1 December 1921 to the newly created Northern Ireland Prison Service. The service was administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs , before being established as a government agency of the Northern Ireland Office on 1 April 1995, and later
4500-421: The RUC and attacks on RUC bases. In Belfast, loyalists responded by invading nationalist districts, burning houses and businesses. There were gun battles between nationalists and the RUC and between nationalists and loyalists. A group of about 30 IRA members was involved in the fighting in Belfast. The RUC deployed Shorland armoured cars mounted with heavy Browning machine guns . The Shorlands twice opened fire on
4600-608: The Rising's leaders, the separatist Sinn Féin party won the December 1918 general election in Ireland with 47% of the vote and a majority of seats, and set up the 1919 First Dáil (Irish Parliament) in Dublin. Their victory was aided by the threat of conscription for First World War service . The Irish War for Independence followed, leading to eventual independence in 1922 for the Irish Free State , which comprised 26 of
4700-783: The Roman Catholic Church. In 1912, unionists led by Edward Carson signed the Ulster Covenant and pledged to resist Home Rule by force if necessary. To this end, they formed the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). In response, nationalists led by Eoin MacNeill formed the Irish Volunteers in 1913, whose goal was to oppose the UVF and ensure enactment of the Third Home Rule Bill in
4800-789: The Troubles (not yet established), £5 million to tackle paramilitary activity, and £800,000 to assist with the monitoring of paramilitary activity. Since the devolution of policing and justice, the Northern Ireland Assembly has enacted seven Acts mainly relating to justice policy: In addition, the Department of Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 formally established the department. The Troubles 1980s 1990s see also: The Troubles in Ireland See also: The Troubles in Britain and Europe The Troubles ( Irish : Na Trioblóidí ) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted for about 30 years from
4900-521: The Troubles , this establishment housed paramilitary prisoners from its formation, and was the scene of several infamous events such as the 1981 Hunger Strike and the Maze Prison escape of 1983. The prison was closed in 2000 and prisoners transferred to HMP Maghaberry. Demolition of most of the site began in 2006, but much of the western part of the estate remains, including the hospital block and H-block 6, which are listed structures. Plans to build
5000-402: The UPV) attacked some of the marches and held counter-demonstrations in a bid to get the marches banned. Because of the lack of police reaction to the attacks, nationalists saw the RUC, which was almost wholly Protestant, as backing the loyalists and allowing the attacks to occur. On 5 October 1968, a civil rights march in Derry was banned by the Northern Ireland government. When marchers defied
5100-426: The UVF issued a statement declaring "war" against the IRA and anyone helping it. The UVF fatally shot a Catholic civilian, John Scullion, as he walked home on 27 May. A month later it shot three Catholic civilians as they left a pub, killing Peter Ward, a Catholic from the Falls Road . Shortly after, the UVF was proscribed by the Northern Ireland government. The UVF is still considered a terrorist organization by
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#17327810415315200-434: The United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. In the mid-1960s, a non-violent civil rights campaign began in Northern Ireland. It comprised groups such as the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA), the Campaign for Social Justice , the Derry Citizens' Action Committee , and People's Democracy , whose stated goals were: Some suspected and accused NICRA of being a republican front-group whose ultimate goal
5300-430: The administration of courts in Northern Ireland. The partition of Ireland created a separate jurisdiction of Northern Ireland in June 1921. A local Ministry of Home Affairs , initially led by Dawson Bates , was established at that time and oversaw most aspects of justice policy until the introduction of direct rule in March 1972. The Northern Ireland Office , led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland ,
5400-407: The ban, RUC officers surrounded the marchers and beat them indiscriminately and without provocation. More than 100 people were injured, including a number of nationalist politicians. The incident was filmed by television news crews and shown around the world. It caused outrage among Catholics and nationalists, sparking two days of rioting in Derry between nationalists and the RUC. A few days later,
5500-451: The buildings damaged were occupied by Catholics. Between July and 1 September 505 Catholic and 315 Protestant families were forced to flee their homes. The Irish Army set up refugee camps in the Republic near the border (see Gormanston Camp ). Nationalists initially welcomed the British Army, as they did not trust the RUC. On 9 September, the Northern Ireland Joint Security Committee met at Stormont Castle and decided that A peace line
5600-468: The civil rights movement and opposed his policies. At the same time, a loyalist group calling itself the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) emerged in the Shankill area of Belfast. It was led by Gusty Spence , a former British soldier. Many of its members were also members of the UCDC and UPV. In April and May 1966, the UVF petrol bombed a number of Catholic homes, schools, and businesses. A firebomb killed an elderly Protestant widow, Matilda Gould. On 21 May,
5700-414: The creation of temporary no-go areas. More than 3,500 people were killed in the conflict, of whom 52% were civilians , 32% were members of the British security forces, and 16% were members of paramilitary groups. Responsibility for deaths were divided between republican paramilitaries (60%), loyalists (30%), and security forces (10%). Civilian casualties were caused by: loyalists 48%, republicans 39%, and
5800-450: The criminal justice system as a whole with the Attorney General. The office of Minister of Justice has been vacant since the collapse of the Northern Ireland Executive on 3 February 2022. As of March 2023, the Northern Ireland Prison Service employed 1,554 staff. The Prison Service currently has three operational establishments: A modern Category A prison housing adult male long-term sentenced and remand prisoners. Various units in
5900-446: The daughters was beaten unconscious as she lay recovering from surgery. Devenny suffered a heart attack and died on 17 July from his injuries. On 13 July, RUC officers beat another Catholic civilian, Francis McCloskey (67), during clashes in Dungiven . He died of his injuries the next day. On 12 August, the loyalist Apprentice Boys of Derry were allowed to march along the edge of the Bogside. Taunts and missiles were exchanged between
6000-407: The early 1920s, there were occasional incidents of sectarian unrest in Northern Ireland. These included severe rioting in Belfast in the 1930s and 1950s, and the IRA's brief Northern Campaign in the 1940s and Border Campaign between 1956 and 1962, which did not enjoy broad popular support among nationalists. After the IRA called off its campaign in 1962, Northern Ireland became relatively stable for
6100-411: The early 1970s was the McGurk's Bar bombing by the UVF in 1971. The violence peaked in 1972, when nearly 500 people, just over half of them civilians, were killed, the worst year in the entire conflict. By the end of 1971, 29 barricades were in place in Derry , blocking access to what was known as Free Derry ; 16 of these were impassable even to the British Army's one-ton armoured vehicles. Many of
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#17327810415316200-418: The end of their sentences; Officially HM Prison Hydebank Wood , this is a medium-to-low-security establishment accommodating male young offenders and all female prisoners (including female immigration detainees). The service's primary Prison Officer training facility, the Prison Service College, is based at Hydebank Wood. Also known as Armagh Gaol , this establishment dates back to 1780, where it served as
6300-647: The establishment also accommodate Category B and C prisoners. The prison also houses a working-out unit, where prisoners can leave the prison for short periods under direct supervision, and Burren House, a detachment of Maghaberry on Crumlin Road, Belfast, serves as a Category D unit. In accordance with the recommendations of the 2003 Steele Review, Maghaberry also runs a separated regime for paramilitary prisoners, with two wings specially adapted to house Loyalist and Republican prisoners. A medium-security prison housing shorter-term adult male prisoners which also has low-security accommodation for selected prisoners nearing
6400-417: The event of British or unionist refusal. The outbreak of the First World War in 1914, and Ireland's involvement in the war , temporarily averted possible civil war in Ireland and delayed the resolution of the question of Irish independence. Home Rule, although passed in the British Parliament with Royal Assent , was suspended for the duration of the war. The Irish Volunteers split, with a majority, known as
6500-437: The foundation of the republican Society of the United Irishmen by Presbyterians, Catholics, and liberal Anglicans, and the resulting failed Irish Rebellion of 1798 , sectarian violence between Catholics and Protestants continued. The Orange Order (founded 1795), with its stated goal of upholding the Protestant faith and loyalty to the heirs of William of Orange , dates from this period and remains active to this day. With
6600-426: The government and police to intern suspects without trial and to administer corporal punishment such as flogging to re-establish or preserve law and order. The Act continued to be used against nationalists long after the violence of this period had come to an end. Various unionist militias were also incorporated into state structures, including the Ulster Special Constabulary , which Allen Feldman argues "emulated
6700-462: The house Senior Officer. Prison officers working on landings will carry: Prior to 2012 the rank structure of the Northern Ireland Prison Service was similar to that of England and Wales pre-2000. The primary contingent comprised Main Grade Officers and Operation Support grades, subordinate to Principal Officers (rank badge – two Bath stars ) and Senior Officers (rank badge – single Bath star). The Principal Officer grade
6800-399: The house next door were removed by police. Currie had brought their grievance to the local council and to Stormont, but had been told to leave. The incident invigorated the civil rights movement. On 24 August 1968, the civil rights movement held its first civil rights march from Coalisland to Dungannon . Many more marches were held over the following year. Loyalists (especially members of
6900-518: The justice ministry. Sugden's tenure as minister ended on 26 January 2017, when the Northern Ireland Executive was dissolved following further disputes between the DUP and Sinn Féin . Under the Programme for Government for 2016–2020, the department has been tasked with the outcome of "a safe community where we respect the law, and each other”. Its objectives are based on the concept of 'problem-solving justice' which seeks to drive forward "new and more imaginative" strategies, which will seek to address
7000-434: The late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict , it began in the late 1960s and is usually deemed to have ended with the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. Although the Troubles mostly took place in Northern Ireland, at times violence spilled over into parts of the Republic of Ireland , England, and mainland Europe. Sometimes described as an " asymmetric " or " irregular " war or
7100-513: The loyalists and nationalist residents. After being bombarded with stones and petrol bombs from nationalists, the RUC, backed by loyalists, tried to storm the Bogside. The RUC used CS gas , armoured vehicles, and water cannons, but were kept at bay by hundreds of nationalists. The continuous fighting, which became known as the Battle of the Bogside , lasted for three days. In response to events in Derry, nationalists held protests at RUC bases in Belfast and elsewhere. Some of these led to clashes with
7200-661: The main political factions in late 19th- and early 20th-century Ireland. By the second decade of the 20th century, Home Rule, or limited Irish self-government, was on the brink of being conceded due to the agitation of the Irish Parliamentary Party . In response to the campaign for Home Rule which started in the 1870s, unionists, mostly Protestant and largely concentrated in Ulster, had resisted both self-government and independence for Ireland, fearing for their future in an overwhelmingly Catholic country dominated by
7300-478: The majority of prisoners were transferred to Maghaberry Prison. It now has a reputation for being a very paranormally-active location and the gaol runs its own guided ghost walks and paranormal investigations. This establishment began as Long Kesh Detention Centre in 1971, before being expanded with the building of the "H-blocks" in 1976 to become known as the Maze Prison. The most well-known prison during
7400-613: The nationalist or republican " no-go areas " were controlled by one of the two factions of the Irish Republican Army ;– the Provisional IRA and Official IRA . There are several reasons offered for why violence escalated in these years. Unionists say the main reason was the formation of the Provisional IRA and Official IRA, particularly the former. These two groups were formed when
7500-637: The native Irish in the Plantation of Ulster . Coupled with Protestant immigration to "unplanted" areas of Ulster , particularly Antrim and Down , this resulted in conflict between the native Catholics and the "planters", leading in turn to two bloody religious conflicts known as the Irish Confederate Wars (1641–1653) and the Williamite war (1689–1691), both of which resulted in Protestant victories. Anglican dominance in Ireland
7600-410: The ongoing threat, officers must inspect their vehicles each morning for IEDs, limit activities which may personally identify them, and be discreet about the display of uniform and other items which could identify them as prison officers. Officers may also avail of a personal protection weapon (PPW), although unlike their Police counterparts this is not mandatory. Prison officers in Northern Ireland wear
7700-441: The partition of Ireland as an illegal and arbitrary division of the island against the will of the majority of its people. They argued that the Northern Ireland state was neither legitimate nor democratic, but created with a deliberately gerrymandered unionist majority. Catholics initially composed about 35% of its population. A total of 557 people, mostly Catholics, were killed in political or sectarian violence from 1920 to 1922 in
7800-534: The police out, creating " Free Derry ", which was briefly a no-go area for the security forces. In March and April 1969, loyalists bombed water and electricity installations in Northern Ireland, blaming them on the dormant IRA and elements of the civil rights movement. Some attacks left much of Belfast without power and water. Loyalists hoped the bombings would force O'Neill to resign and bring an end to any concessions to nationalists. There were six bombings between 30 March and 26 April. All were widely blamed on
7900-708: The policy areas transferred to the Northern Ireland Assembly . These include: Some justice matters remain reserved to Westminster, with the Assembly's agreement e.g. the prerogative of mercy in terrorism cases, illicit drug classification , the National Crime Agency , the accommodation of prisoners in separated conditions within the Northern Ireland Prison Service , parades and the security of explosives . In addition, some justice matters remain excepted and devolution
8000-717: The primary women's prison in Northern Ireland for most of its life, although it held male prisoners at various points. The prison closed in 1986 and the female prisoners were moved to the newly built Maghaberry Prison. Also known as Crumlin Road Gaol , this establishment opened in 1846 to replace the County Gaol for Antrim in Carrickfergus . The prison housed all categories of prisoners, many of which were imprisoned for Troubles -related crimes, and saw seventeen executions during its life. The prison closed in 1996 and
8100-656: The protests. The police, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), were overwhelmingly Protestant and known for sectarianism and police brutality . The campaign was also violently opposed by Ulster loyalists, who believed it was a front for republican political activity. Increasing tensions led to the August 1969 riots and the deployment of British troops , in what became the British Army 's longest operation. " Peace walls " were built in some areas to keep
8200-663: The relationship between the Army and the local population following the Army assistance with flood relief in August 1970, the Falls Curfew and a situation that was described at the time as "an inflamed sectarian one, which is being deliberately exploited by the IRA and other extremists" meant that relations between the Catholic population and the British Army rapidly deteriorated. From 1970 to 1972, an explosion of political violence occurred in Northern Ireland. The deadliest attack in
8300-521: The report. During violence in the Shankill , UVF members shot dead RUC officer Victor Arbuckle. He was the first RUC officer to be killed during the Troubles. In October and December 1969, the UVF carried out a number of small bombings in the Republic of Ireland. Despite the British government's attempt to do "nothing that would suggest partiality to one section of the community" and the improvement of
8400-549: The six counties that would become Northern Ireland, both during and after the Irish War of Independence. The result was communal strife between Catholics and Protestants, with some historians describing this violence, especially that in Belfast , as a pogrom , although historian Peter Hart argues that the term is not appropriate given the reciprocity of violence in Northern Ireland. (see The Troubles in Ulster (1920–1922) and Bloody Sunday (1921) ). A marginalised remnant of
8500-561: The state's fusion of repressive and ideological apparatuses". In 1920, in local elections held under proportional representation , nationalists had won control over many local governments, including the County Councils of Fermanagh and Tyrone, and the Londonderry Borough Council governing Derry City . In response, in 1922 the new unionist government re-drew the electoral boundaries to give its supporters
8600-468: The time, but some internees became increasingly radicalised as a result of their experiences. In August 1971, ten civilians were shot dead in the Ballymurphy massacre in Belfast. They were innocent and the killings were unjustified, according to a 2021 coroner's inquest. Nine victims were shot by the British Army. Bloody Sunday was the shooting dead of thirteen unarmed men by the British Army at
8700-644: The treaty was given less priority by the new Dublin government led by W. T. Cosgrave , and was quietly dropped. As counties Fermanagh and Tyrone and border areas of Londonderry , Armagh , and Down were mainly nationalist, the Irish Boundary Commission could reduce Northern Ireland to four counties or fewer. In October 1922, the Irish Free State government established the North-Eastern Boundary Bureau,
8800-589: The two communities apart. Some Catholics initially welcomed the British Army as a more neutral force than the RUC, but soon came to see it as hostile and biased, particularly after Bloody Sunday in 1972. The main participants in the Troubles were republican paramilitaries such as the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA); loyalist paramilitaries such as
8900-656: The underlying causes of offending behaviour. The Department of Justice's headquarters is located in Castle Buildings in Belfast . Its remit includes the following executive agencies: The department also oversees the following non-departmental public bodies: The Police Service of Northern Ireland is operationally independent and accountable to the Northern Ireland Policing Board ; the Minister of Justice has overall responsibility for legislation on policing. The Department of Justice
9000-540: The wider Catholic community in what they described as retaliation. At times, there were bouts of sectarian tit-for-tat violence, as well as feuds within and between paramilitary groups. The British security forces undertook policing and counterinsurgency , primarily against republicans. There were incidents of collusion between British state forces and loyalist paramilitaries (see Stevens Inquiries ). The Troubles also involved numerous riots, mass protests, and acts of civil disobedience , and led to increased segregation and
9100-621: Was about to be revived to launch another campaign against Northern Ireland. In April 1966, loyalists led by Ian Paisley , a Protestant fundamentalist preacher, founded the Ulster Constitution Defence Committee (UCDC). It set up a paramilitary-style wing called the Ulster Protestant Volunteers (UPV) to oust Terence O'Neill , Prime Minister of Northern Ireland . Although O'Neill was a unionist, they viewed him as being too 'soft' on
9200-548: Was confirmed when the Parliament of Northern Ireland exercised its right in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 to opt out of the newly established Irish Free State. A part of the treaty signed in 1922 mandated that a boundary commission would sit to decide where the frontier of the northern state would be in relation to its southern neighbour. After the Irish Civil War of 1922–1923, this part of
9300-541: Was either not discussed or not considered feasible: extradition (as an international relations matter), military justice (as a defence matter), the enforcement of immigration law, and national security (including intelligence services). The Department of Justice's main counterparts in the United Kingdom Government are: In the Irish Government , its main counterpart is the Department of Justice . A considerable proportion of law enforcement in Northern Ireland (and media coverage of policing and justice stories)
9400-600: Was ensured by the passage of the Penal Laws that curtailed the religious, legal, and political rights of anyone (including both Catholics and Protestant Dissenters, such as Presbyterians ) who did not conform to the state church, the Anglican Church of Ireland . As the Penal Laws started to be phased out in the latter part of the 18th century, there was more competition for land, as restrictions were lifted on
9500-570: Was made to resolve a dispute between the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin . The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland successfully nominated its party leader, David Ford , on 12 April 2010. Ford was re-elected to the position on 16 May 2011 and was Minister until 2016. On 25 May 2016, independent unionist Claire Sugden was elected the new Minister of Justice, following the Alliance Party's refusal of
9600-590: Was phased out between 2002 and 2008, and a new Senior Officer grade created in 2008 to streamline both roles. The custody Prison Officer grade was created in 2012 to replace Main Grades and Operation Support, although some longer-service staff remain in the older grades. The Unit Manager grade was created in 2014 as a junior Governor grade. The prison service currently has only two uniformed grades. Operational prison grades in descending order of rank are as follows: The Prisoner Escorting and Court Custody Service (PECCS),
9700-575: Was rejected and remained classified for thirty years. On 14–15 August, British troops were deployed in Operation Banner in Derry and Belfast to restore order, but did not try to enter the Bogside, bringing a temporary end to the riots. Ten people had been killed, among them Rooney (the first child killed by police during the conflict), and 745 had been injured, including 154 who suffered gunshot wounds. 154 homes and other buildings were demolished and over 400 needed repairs, of which 83% of
9800-478: Was subsequently responsible for security and political affairs during the remainder of the Troubles . The post of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was abolished in 1922 and subsequently replaced in Northern Ireland by the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain . His supporting department and the subsequent Department for Constitutional Affairs (2003–2007) oversaw the courts until the formation of
9900-524: Was to be established to separate physically the Falls and the Shankill communities. Initially this would take the form of a temporary barbed wire fence which would be manned by the Army and the Police ;... It was agreed that there should be no question of the peace line becoming permanent although it was acknowledged that the barriers might have to be strengthened in some locations. On 10 September,
10000-471: Was to unite Ireland. Although republicans and some members of the IRA (then led by Cathal Goulding and pursuing a non-violent agenda) helped to create and drive the movement, they did not control it and were not a dominant faction within it. On 20 June 1968, civil rights activists, including nationalist Member of Parliament (MP) Austin Currie , protested against housing discrimination by squatting in
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