Skip the NI Direct Bar

Compendia Publications

The Digest of Information on the Northern Ireland Criminal Justice System’s aim is to present, in a user-friendly way, a comprehensive picture of key developments and statistics relating to crime and justice in Northern Ireland. The Digest has historically drawn on information from a variety of statistical and administrative sources, including government departments, statutory agencies and non-statutory organisations.

Update to Department of Justice Digest of Information on the Criminal Justice System in Nortern Ireland

The publication series ‘Digest of Information on the Northern Ireland Criminal Justice System' has been temporarily postponed to enable an extensive user consultation exercise.

Starting from a separate point of departure, but effectively constituting a first step of this process, a comprehensive Review of Departmental Information Needs was undertaken in the late autumn of 2012 and start of 2013. This review sought to establish (a) the higher-level information categories that were required on a regular basis for the immediate business needs of the Departmental Board and (b) the wider information categories that were needed for a more medium term suite of statistics and data to inform the Department’s policy and strategic planning needs. This Review submitted its report in February 2013.

While the Review was not specifically targeted on the Digest, as a Review of general Information Needs at Departmental level inevitably it did reiterate, for the most part, the main categories of information covered in previous Digests. However, in terms of presentation at this generic level, particular emphasis was placed by it on the linkages of information and the narrative underlying the statistics rather than their simple tabular or graphical presentation. As such, its feed-across to the Digest in terms of Departmental requirements was clear and potentially far-reaching.

The Review included more than 25 interviews with strategic business users within the Department and its related Agencies. While the information needs and profiles thereby established were able to elaborate needs at strategic policy and business levels across the Department itself, coverage of requirements by non-Departmental users was much less substantial. For example, while a number of local academics input to the Review, their contribution was sought more on research possibilities for and collaborations with the Department rather than on any specific data/statistical requirements that they might have.

The current phase of the consultation process (May 2013) includes a concise set of questions designed to establish primarily external users' views on the publication; to understand how it is used by them; and get a feel for users’ priorities/needs, particularly in terms of timeliness, format (including the option of web-based links) and commentary or narrative.  

Following conclusion of this consultation, this webpage will be updated to identify summary outcomes and intended next steps.

Your views sought

If you would be interested in inputting to this process, have any other comments you would wish to make or would simply like to register interest in being informed of further publications, please Contact us.