Justice Minister Naomi Long has announced £389,000 in additional funding for community safety projects under the Assets Recovery Community Scheme (ARCS), bringing the total Year 2 allocation for 2025/26 to over £800,000. The money, recovered from the proceeds of crime, will support 42 projects aimed at tackling criminality and reducing the fear of crime across Northern Ireland.
The additional allocation follows an increase in confiscation receipts and forms part of the three-year 2024/25 – 2026/27 funding round. Under the scheme, 50% of proceeds from confiscation orders are directed to community initiatives, with the remainder supporting law enforcement agencies responsible for asset recovery.
Breaking Down the Investment
The Department of Justice has outlined how the three-year funding package is distributed:
- Year 1 (2024/25): 43 projects received £443,000 for services delivered up to 31 March 2025
- Year 2 (2025/26): 36 projects were originally allocated £422,000; an additional £389,000 has now been allocated to 42 further projects for services up to 31 March 2026
- Year 3 (2026/27): 32 projects have been allocated £385,000 for services up to March 2027
The additional £389,000 for 2025/26 was awarded to organisations on a reserve list from the original 2024/27 funding round, alongside operational partners. The funding covers initiatives aimed at preventing crime and reducing the fear of crime, though specific project details for this latest tranche have not been disclosed.
Minister Hails Community Benefits
Naomi Long emphasised the connection between enforcement action and community benefit, stating:
“I am delighted to announce additional Assets Recovery Community Scheme (ARCS) funding of £389k IN 2025/26. This funding means further investment to benefit victims and the wider community. The money will be spent on a range of initiatives helping to prevent crime and reduce the fear of crime.
“Criminals are motivated by personal gain, and this funding represents more money taken out of their hands and returned to communities. Asset recovery is a vital tool in tackling organised crime and enables communities to see the direct benefits of enforcement action.
“I would also like to thank the members of the Organised Crime Task Force for their continued work in asset recovery, highlighting the importance of confiscation in depriving criminals of their profits.
“We all have an important role in making Northern Ireland a safer place. I would encourage anyone with any concerns to call the police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
Unanswered Questions on Selection and Impact
While the announcement expands support for crime prevention, several details remain unclear. The Department has not specified which individual projects receive the additional £389,000, nor has it published the criteria used to select successful applicants from the reserve list over those who were unsuccessful.
Additionally, the release offers no specific metrics for measuring the success of these 42 projects in reducing crime rates or fear of crime. Previous ARCS rounds have supported community safety initiatives, though public data on their long-term impact on offending rates remains limited.
The funding model itself, while innovative, presents sustainability questions. Because ARCS relies on confiscation receipts, which fluctuate based on enforcement success and criminal asset availability, community organisations face uncertainty when planning multi-year programmes. The current three-year structure offers some stability, but future rounds depend on continued high performance in asset recovery by the Organised Crime Task Force partners.
Considerations for the Future
This funding injection arrives as the Organised Crime Task Force continues to prioritise asset recovery. The scheme aligns with the draft Programme for Government outcome that seeks to ensure “everyone feels safe” and supports the Northern Ireland Organised Crime Strategy’s goals of building resilient communities and reducing reoffending.
Key questions stakeholders might consider include:
- How will the Department measure the tangible impact of these projects on local crime statistics and community confidence?
- What transparency mechanisms exist for the reserve list selection process, and will the full list of funded projects be published?
- Given the volatility of confiscation receipts, should the scheme establish a minimum funding floor to protect vital community safety work?
- Could the success of ARCS justify expanding the percentage of proceeds directed to community programmes beyond the current 50% split?
Further details about funding allocations are available on the Department of Justice’s ARCS webpage. The Organised Crime Task Force continues to prioritise asset recovery, ensuring that criminal profits are diverted from offenders back into the communities harmed by their activities.