Who Is One of the Northern Ireland Justice Champions?

Forum wins prize for work on interfaces:

The Justice Minister in Northern Ireland set up a competition for a designation called, "Justice Champion" or "Justice Champions."

There were 58 nominations and only three awards of Justice Champion were made this autumn, 2011.

One of the selected Justice Champions was the Foyle Interface Forum.

The Foyle Interface Forum was started to provide an alternative to sectarian violence and is an umbrella organization which synergizes the efforts and skills of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the Youth Justice Agency, local politicians, community workers, Apprentice Boys of Derry, and Housing Executive representatives. (The Youth Justice Agency is described as follows: The principal aim of the Youth Justice Agency is to reduce youth crime and to build confidence in the youth justice system. The Agency works with children aged 10-17 years who have offended or are at serious risk of offending.) (The Apprentice Boys of Derry help organize the celebrations, principally by the Protestant community, on Saturday August 13th of every year which marks the annual anniversary of the ending of the Siege of Derry in 1689.)

A Foyle Interface Forum group was begun to reduce the number of sectarian attacks at interfaces in Derry (also known as Londonderry). Such attacks include stone throwing, harassment, mugging, rioting, and attacks with weapons.

The Foyle Interface Forum used its resources to assist those most at risk of offending and turning their energy away from violence.

As a consequence, reports of violence by one community against another are down from former years in Derry.