Justice Minister Naomi Long has launched a public Call for Views to shape a new strategy aimed at reducing offending and reoffending across Northern Ireland. The consultation, which opened on 18 June 2026 and runs until 13 August 2026, seeks input from communities, frontline workers, and crucially, those with direct lived experience of the justice system.
The initiative comes as official statistics show persistent challenges in breaking cycles of crime. According to recent data from the Department of Justice, 17.6% of adults and 24.1% of young people reoffended within one year of receiving a disposal or being released from custody. With the prison population reaching a decade high of 1,911 daily inmates in 2024/25 and public finances under severe strain, the Minister says the new strategy must focus on “what works” while making the best use of limited resources.
A Whole-System Approach
The Call for Views marks the first stage in developing what officials describe as a comprehensive, long-term strategy. Unlike previous efforts that focused on specific areas such as restorative justice or victim support, this initiative aims to tackle offending behaviour from prevention through to rehabilitation.
Launching the consultation, Naomi Long said:
“Reducing offending and reoffending is a complex challenge that affects individuals, families, victims and communities right across Northern Ireland. It is not an issue that the justice system can address on its own.
“This Call for Views is about listening – to people with lived experience, to communities, and to those working on the front line to help shape a strategy that focuses on prevention, early intervention, rehabilitation and long-term change.”
The Minister emphasised that the strategy would be developed during a period of “significant pressure on public finances,” requiring a focus on early intervention to prevent harm rather than costly late-stage responses.
“The strategy is being developed at a time of significant pressure on public finances. We are operating in a constrained financial environment, which means it is more important than ever that we focus on what works, intervene early to prevent harm, and make the best possible use of existing resources.
“In bringing forward this strategy, the aim is to take a whole-system approach to reduce offending and reoffending, one that is grounded in evidence, shaped by partnership working, and focused on outcomes that reduce harm, improve public safety and create better life chances. I would particularly welcome input from people with lived experience and ideas on how we can improve outcomes for society as a whole.”
The Scale of the Challenge
The need for a fresh approach is underscored by recent performance data and population trends:
- Reoffending rates: Nearly one in four young people (24.1%) and more than one in six adults (17.6%) reoffend within a year, according to the 2022/23 cohort data published by NISRA
- Rising prison numbers: The average daily prison population increased by 1.8% to 1,911 in 2024/25, the highest level in a decade, with remand numbers climbing for seven consecutive years
- Short-term prisoners: A significant proportion of those in custody serve sentences of one year or less, a group identified by the Northern Ireland Audit Office as particularly likely to reoffend and challenging to rehabilitate
- Strategic gaps: A 2023 Audit Office report found that while reducing reoffending has been a longstanding objective, a “more clearly defined strategic direction” was needed to produce better results
The Department has already begun shifting towards preventative and rehabilitative models, including the Adult Restorative Justice Strategy 2022-2027 and the Victims and Witnesses Strategy 2026-2032. However, the new framework appears intended to unify these elements into a coherent, cross-cutting approach.
Unanswered Questions and Considerations
While the Call for Views establishes worthy ambitions, several practical considerations remain unaddressed in the announcement:
- Budget clarity: Unlike recent announcements regarding victim support or policing, no specific funding envelope has been attached to this strategy’s development or implementation, despite the Minister’s acknowledgment of “constrained” finances
- Integration with existing programmes: It remains unclear how the new strategy will align with ongoing initiatives such as the Reducing Offending in Partnership (ROP) programme, now part of the Police Service’s Community Safety Department
- Measurement frameworks: The consultation document does not propose interim targets or metrics against which success will be judged, raising questions about how “what works” will be empirically determined
- Remand crisis: With remand prisoners comprising 40.4% of the population and reaching record levels, the strategy’s immediate applicability to this growing cohort—who often receive limited rehabilitation services—is uncertain
Five questions stakeholders may wish to consider when responding:
- How should the Department balance investment in community-based early intervention against the rising costs of custodial sentences, given that short-term prisoners show higher reoffending rates than those given community disposals?
- What specific mechanisms will ensure that input from people with lived experience of offending translates into policy outcomes rather than serving as consultative window-dressing?
- Given the 24% youth reoffending rate, should the strategy prioritise distinct pathways for young adults aged 18-25, or merge youth and adult approaches?
- How will the strategy address the specific rehabilitation needs of the growing female prison population, which rose 20% in the past year?
- With the Adult Restorative Justice Strategy running until 2027, will this new framework supersede existing plans or operate as an umbrella strategy, and how will conflicts or overlaps be managed?
How to Participate
The Call for Views closes on 13 August 2026. The Department is seeking responses from individuals and organisations, including victims and survivors of crime, community and voluntary groups, academics, and members of the public. While the announcement does not specify a dedicated consultation portal, interested parties should monitor the Department of Justice website or contact the Department directly for submission guidelines.
The Minister’s emphasis on “lived experience” suggests responses from former offenders, victims, and frontline community workers will carry particular weight in shaping the final document. What emerges from this consultation will likely define Northern Ireland’s approach to criminal justice rehabilitation for the remainder of the decade.