Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland facts for kids
Logo of the Public Prosecution Service
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 Royal Courts of Justice, Belfast |
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| Department overview | |
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| Formed | June 13, 2005 |
| Preceding Department |
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| Type | Non-ministerial government department |
| Jurisdiction | Northern Ireland |
| Headquarters | Belfast Chambers, 93 Chichester Street, Belfast, BT1 3JR 54°35′48″N 5°55′19″W / 54.59664°N 5.92206°W |
| Motto | Independent, Fair, Effective |
| Employees | 399.2 FTE (2020-21) |
| Annual budget | £38.4 million (2020-21) |
| Department executive |
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The Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland (PPSNI) is a special department in Northern Ireland. Its main job is to decide if someone accused of breaking the law should go to court. It also handles these legal cases in court.
The PPSNI is led by a person called the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland. This service is similar to groups in other parts of the United Kingdom, like the Crown Prosecution Service in England. The PPSNI has about 50 public prosecutors and over 100 staff members.
Contents
What is the PPSNI?
The Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland (PPSNI) is a key part of the legal system. It works with the Northern Ireland Executive, which is the government of Northern Ireland. The PPSNI makes sure that legal cases are handled fairly.
What Does the PPSNI Do?
The PPSNI has several important roles. First, it decides whether to start a legal case against someone. This means they look at the evidence and choose if a person should be charged. If they decide to go ahead, they are then in charge of the court process.
Working with the Police
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) investigates when rules are broken. After the police finish their investigation, they send their findings to the PPSNI. The PPSNI then gives advice to the police. They help decide if there's enough information to bring a case to court. They also get ready for court and present the cases there.
How Was the PPSNI Started?
The PPSNI was created by a law called the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002. Before the PPSNI existed, the police often handled most legal cases themselves. Some more serious cases were sent to an older department, which was called the Department of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The new PPSNI was set up to make the system more independent.
Who Leads the PPSNI?
The person in charge of the PPSNI is the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland. This important leader is chosen by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland. The Attorney General is the main legal advisor to the government in Northern Ireland.
See also
- List of Government departments and agencies in Northern Ireland
- Director of Public Prosecutions (around the world)
