Northern Ireland Youth Justice Agency Annual Workload Statistics 2023/24 Published Today

Date published: 19 September 2024

The Department of Justice (DoJ) today published Research and Statistics Bulletin: Northern Ireland Youth Justice Agency Annual Workload Statistics 2023/24.

graphic - doj news

This annual Official Statistics publication provides workload statistics for the last five financial years for both Youth Justice Services (YJS) and Custodial Services (Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre, JJC) within the Youth Justice Agency (YJA).  Area statistics in this report are produced in terms of the 11 Local Government Districts. This ensures that consistent data can be produced on an annual basis for comparison purposes.

This will also facilitate comparison with other data sources such as PSNI recorded crime information or NI population data. The publication continues to provide descriptive analysis of trends on a range of demographics, including some Section 75 characteristics and care information.  A breakdown of YJA PSNI referral schemes by gender and age has been introduced for this reporting period. The main findings of this report are presented below.

Northern Ireland Youth Justice Agency Annual Workload Statistics 2023/24

  • During 2023/24, there was a total of 1,493 YJA PSNI Referral Schemes for 1,425 children.
  • In 2023/24 males accounted for 61.4% of PSNI referral schemes.
  • In 2023/24 the highest number of CRN and Vaping schemes was for children aged 14 (209) while those aged 13 accounted for the highest number of Sexting Schemes (83).
  • The number of YJA referrals to the YJS in 2023/24 was 1,525, an increase of 12.0% from 2022/23 (1,361).
  • Diversionary referrals (55.7%; 850) accounted for the largest proportion of all YJA referrals in 2023/24, followed by Court Ordered (24.1%; 367) and Earlier Stage Diversions (13.6%; 207).
  • The number of individuals receiving YJA referrals in 2023/24 (809) increased by 4.5% from the previous year (774).
  • The total number of individuals in custody decreased by 5.5% (110, 2022/23; 104, 2023/24).
  • As in previous years males accounted for the majority of YJA referrals (71.9%) and of children receiving YJA referrals (74.8%) and in custody (76.0%).
  • During 2023/24, 64.6% of YJA referrals and 64.5% of individuals receiving YJA referrals were aged 15 and over; the corresponding figure for children in custody was 83.7%.
  • In 2023/24, 46.2% of children in custody were Catholic; 24.0% were Protestant.
  • Of the children in custody during 2023/24, 43.3% were in care (36.5% were subject to a care order; 6.7% were voluntary accommodated).
  • In terms of local government district, Belfast had the highest number of YJA referrals (360) and the highest number of children receiving YJA referrals (219).  Derry City and Strabane had the highest number of admissions to custody (34) while Belfast had the highest number of children in custody (19).  Regarding children in custody, Derry City and Strabane had the highest rate per 1,000 at 1.0.
  • In 2023/24, there was a total of 3,534 days of custody provided by the JJC, 8.1% lower than in 2022/23 (3,844) and 42.9% lower than in 2019/20 (6,194). Of these days 6.2% were for PACE, 78.9% for remand and 14.9% for sentence.
  • The total number of admissions to the JJC was 4.5% lower in 2023/24 (214) than in 2022/23 (224).  Overall movements within the JJC, that is new admissions plus internal changes of status, such as PACE to Remand, was 4.1% lower in 2023/24 (301) than in the previous year (314). 
  • Of the 1,236 statutory referrals during 2023/24, the highest proportion involved violence against the person (42.6%; 527).

Notes to editors: 

  1. The Annual Workload Statistics 2023-2024
  2. For media enquiries please contact DoJ Press Office – press.office@justice-ni.gov.uk
  3. Follow us on X @Justice_NI
  4. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

Share this page

Back to top