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Director General

Message from the Director , Robin Masefield
Northern Ireland Prison Service

Welcome to the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) web site. All too often, the view the public has of prisons, and in particular Northern Ireland prisons, is shaped by the events and personalities which have attracted media headlines. This ignores the huge amount of positive work carried out by prisons staff every day, 365 days a year, on behalf of the community, which they serve.

The conditions and regimes provided for prisoners in Northern Ireland compare favourably with any other prison system. Prisoners have comprehensive regimes along with work and educational opportunities.

There is much going on in the Northern Ireland Prison Service, made possible by the dedication and commitment of its staff.

I hope you find this site interesting and useful and, perhaps most of all, informative.

Background Note
Mr Robin Masefield CBE took up post as Director of the Northern Ireland Prison Service on 1 December 2004.

Mr Masefield had previously held the post of Director of Finance , Planning and Estate Management in the Northern Ireland Prison Service from 1997-2000.

Robin Masefield joined the Northern Ireland Office in 1973 and much of his career has been spent in Northern Ireland. From 1991-1994 he was Head of Management Services in the Prison Service for England and Wales. For the past 4 years he has been Head of the Policing Reforms Division in the Northern Ireland Office.

Aged 55 he is married, with three children, and his interests include running and writing.