Private prison visit

The Assembly’s Justice Committee plans to visit a private prison in England and Wales as it continues to scrutinise the prison reform process. Private prison services have been in place in Britain since 1992 but have not been introduced in Northern Ireland due to the security situation.

In 2010, the CBI suggested that the private sector become involved in the proposed new Magilligan prison and highlighted how a payment-by-results model could help to reduce reoffending. The CBI noted that 4 per cent of prisoners were in Category A (the most dangerous group) and said that new approaches should be tried for rehabilitating less serious offenders.

The Justice Committee also plans to visit a series of projects which aim to deter young people from offending. The visits are likely to take place later this year after the committee finishes its scrutiny of the Human Trafficking (Further Provisions and Support for Victims) Bill.