Pilot scheme to tackle fine default launched

Covering the Lisburn court district and running for initially six months, the second scheme will run alongside the original pilot in Newry and Mourne, whose operation has been extended until February next year.

A Supervised Activity Order gives the Court a community based alternative for non-payment of a fine rather than a prison term.

It forms part of the Minister’s commitment to fundamentally reform how the justice system deals with fine default and next year he will introduce into the Assembly legislation to overhaul the current arrangements.

“Every year thousands of people are sent to prison for non-payment of fines,” said Mr Ford. “We need to find better ways of solving this problem.

“Supervised Activity Orders can be part of that solution, and the initial results from our pilot in Newry and Mourne are encouraging.

“Since it began in February, 36 people who might otherwise have gone to prison for the non payment of fines have managed to clear their debt by working in the community.

“That is from one court district, and if we are able to extend these orders across all of Northern Ireland, then we would see a significant decrease in the numbers ending up in prison for fine default.

“Before we can consider that, I am today launching a second pilot and the results from both will be subject to a full evaluation.

“Next year I will also introduce legislation to take fine payments directly from income, and to create a civilianised fine enforcement system,” he concluded.