Speakers
Plenary Session
This interactive session offers delegates a unique opportunity to engage directly with senior leaders from the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) and the Youth Justice Agency (YJA) on the key themes of reform, innovation and rehabilitation.
Building on insights from the Host Day, the session will provide a space for reflection, open dialogue and constructive challenge. Delegates will be invited to explore key issues emerging from the presentations, including how services are evolving to better support desistance from offending, improve outcomes for individuals in custody and in the community, and strengthen public confidence.
Chaired by the Director General of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, Beverley Wall, the panel will include the Governors of Northern Ireland’s three prisons alongside senior representation from the Youth Justice Agency. Drawing on their extensive leadership experience, panellists will share perspectives on both the opportunities and challenges of delivering meaningful reform across custodial and youth justice settings.
Designed as a conversation rather than a formal presentation, the session will encourage active participation. Delegates will have the opportunity to pose questions, share insights and contribute to a rich and engaging dialogue on the future direction of prison and youth justice services.
This session will be of particular interest to those working in justice, rehabilitation, policy and service delivery, offering valuable insights into leadership approaches and practical strategies for reform in a complex and evolving landscape.
Beverley has served as Director General of the Northern Ireland Prison Service and Deputy Secretary for Reducing Offending Policy in the Department of Justice since 2023, providing strategic leadership across custodial services and rehabilitation policy.
She joined the Northern Ireland Civil Service in 1990 and brings over 30 years’ experience across a range of departments, spanning both policy development and operational delivery. She has held a number of senior leadership roles, including serving as Private Secretary to several Ministers.
Her previous roles include leading the establishment of the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry; overseeing social and affordable housing policy; delivering a Neighbourhood Renewal Programme to tackle deprivation and disadvantage; and serving as Director of Governance in the Department of Education, where she led the creation of the Education Authority for Northern Ireland.
As Deputy Secretary in the Department for Communities, Beverley was responsible for central policy functions, including the development of an anti-poverty strategy and a suite of social inclusion strategies.
She holds a BSc (Hons) in Business Management and an MSc in Innovation Management in the Public Service. In September 2025, she was appointed to the Board of EuroPris, the European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services, which promotes collaboration and the sharing of best practice across European prison systems.