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Report on penal reform due today

Rapporteur Senator Ivana Bacik and Chairman David Stanton will publish the report later this morning.

AN OIREACHTAS REPORT will make a number of recommendations for the reform of Ireland’s much-maligned prison system later today.

The Justice, Defence and Equality Committee has compiled the report following a series of hearings with stakeholders and written submissions from other interested parties.

The document, written by Senator Ivana Bacik, will be launched by chairman David Stanton at 9.30am. It will make key recommendations for a more efficient and fairer penal system. In recent years, the Irish regime has been criticised for various human rights abuses by the United Nations. A number of practices, including slopping out and sharing cells, have been described as inhumane and degrading.

In October 2011, the Joint Committee agreed to establish a sub-committee from within its own members to investigate the issue of penal reform. It met in public on four occasions and in private four times to consider the issue in detail, including written submissions received.

The Irish Penal Reform Trust, which engaged with the process, is hopeful that some of its recommendations will be reflected in this morning’s publication.

“From our perspective, we outlined the changes we would like to see in terms of systems of release, parole and temporary release,” a spokesperson told TheJournal.ie.

“We would also be hopeful that the sub-committee would view the issues within the wider issue of rehabilitation and reintegration into society.”

The IPRT says it “continues to be concerned” at any plans to expand prison system places but welcomes “any policy shift that recognises prisoner numbers have to be reduced”.

The review group into the Thornton Hall project in 2011 found that the new facility should accommodate 500 people, rather than the planned 2,200.

Currently, there are about 4,400 people incarcerated in Ireland each day.

More: Here’s how 7,500 people went to jail for not paying fines in 2012

Prisoner rules amended to support prisoner complaints

Two-thirds of Mountjoy cells now have toilets- but many are still slopping out

Call for radical change in Irish prison policy >

Mobile phone seizures in St Patrick’s Institution double in 3 years >

Damning report into St Patrick’s finds forced stripping, excessive force and intimidation >

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35 Comments
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    Mute John Keane
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    Mar 27th 2013, 7:07 AM

    I think it’s about time that there were standard recommended sentences for certain crimes. Sentencing in this country has been a real joke for far too long. Only in this country can one man get 6 years for tax frauds while another man walls free after serially raping his young daughter for 11 years. Certain criminals should forfeit their human rights when they demonstrate they are more animal than human.

    58
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    Mute Truthytruthteller
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    Mar 27th 2013, 7:11 AM

    The recent sentence handed down for vat evasion is unfortunately a sign of things to come. The British have always treated Vat evasion as second only to murder (yes, more serious than rape).

    It seems we’re aping the Brits again.

    21
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    Mute Marlon Major
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    Mar 27th 2013, 7:38 AM

    I agree wbole heartedly. There is also a need to insure criminals do not become recedivists. This done by: 1) insuring justice is swift, fair and consistent. 2) More prisons are built to insure human rights are followed, but criminals can serve their full terms. 3) increase time for horrific crimes such as murder and rape 4) include mandatory counceling and support to prisoners who are deemed savable while incarcirated. 5) decision of the criminals family should be considered when determing where the criminals time will be servered. 6) Releasing criminals because over-crowded prisons must stop. And most importantly, insure that no one can hide from true justice, tbis would include the wealthy, goverment officials, politicians, bankers and the rest of irelands aristocrat s and aristocrat want-to-be’s.

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    Mute Ross McNulty
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    Mar 27th 2013, 10:16 AM

    Funny thing is Marlon, the one thing that almost guarantees recidivism is going to prison. Once you are in the criminal justice system you are gone. It’s not only toxic for the people committed but also the prison guards. Figures from the UK suggest that the average prison guard lives to 58 and if they make it to retirement the only last about 18 months. It is a pretty new idea, prison as punishment. It’s only been around since the early to mid 19th century.

    1) there are many that would say that the sentencing of prisoners should remain the discretion of the judiciary – taking into account mitigating and aggravating factors – the individual nature of the crime etc.

    2) If you are trying to achieve the respect of human rights how does building prisons achieve this?

    3) Indeed the only people who should be sentenced to prison are those who commit violent crimes – the most dangerous

    4) I would argue if they are deemed “savable” then don’t incarcerate them in the first place!

    5) A succession of Ministers for Justice have shown little consideration of the needs of prisoners while in custody. Just look at the Juvenile Justice system – those who are deemed by all charters of rights concerning children in conflict with the law to be most in need of family contact during their time in custody – the only secure facilities in the whole country are St. Pats or Trinity/Oberstown which are in Dublin.

    6) Again, a more imaginative set of alternatives to custody should be available to our judiciary. The prison system in this country is completely isolated, there is NO welfare structure built around the prisons to even begin to deal with prisoners upon release. Very often they are released late in the evening, with no money, no social worker, no accommodation, nothing. How do you propose we keep them out of prison when the first thing they try to do is get back in??

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    Mute Sandbag
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    Mar 27th 2013, 10:37 AM

    You’d be very hard pressed to find many in prison who didn’t have numerous previous run-ins with the law before getting locked up. You’ve got the juvenile diversion program & adult cautions before you get to court, and the probation act, fines and suspended sentences in most cases before someone goes to prison.

    7
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    Mute voodoo_criminology
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    Mar 27th 2013, 10:37 AM

    “Certain criminals should forfeit their human rights when they demonstrate they are more animal than human.”

    Nice. Real nice. Far be it from me to Goodwin procedings, but ….

    7
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    Mute Truthytruthteller
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    Mar 27th 2013, 7:01 AM

    We’d hardly need many new prison places if we didn’t jail people for not having tv licenses, being unable to pay fines or being unable to repay bank debt.

    Jail should be a place for violent offenders and trespassers with intent etc, not for poor people.

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    Mute John Keane
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    Mar 27th 2013, 7:10 AM

    I couldn’t agree more. jail time should be reserved for certain criminals while lesser offences should be dealt with through community service (perhaps pothole filing..two birds and all that)

    35
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    Mute Cliodhna O'Sullivan
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    Mar 27th 2013, 7:19 AM

    Agree prison for criminals and community service for people who can’t pay fines tv license ect. More like the system in the states where prison is a punishment, you shouldn’t be treated better in prison than citizens who don’t break the law are outside.

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    Mute Sandbag
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    Mar 27th 2013, 9:05 AM

    The jails are not full of people who didn’t pay their TV licences or fines, I’ve never seen a judge jail someone over the licence & anyone who spends the night inside over a fine is very unlucky as they’re given temporary release almost immediately.

    17
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    Mute Sean Beag
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    Mar 27th 2013, 9:32 AM

    Prisons aren’t full of people who can’t pay fines or who were caught with a bit of hash. The rare few people who get a prison sentence for these offences will be released in less than a day. Prisons are full of dangerous people who aren’t getting rehabilitated and are getting released early to make room for more dangerous people.

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    Mute Ross McNulty
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    Mar 27th 2013, 9:54 AM

    There were 7,514 commitals for non-payment of court-ordered fines in 2011

    In 2011, 35 people were imprisoned in relation to the non-payment of a civil debt.

    85% of fine defaulters are back in custody within four years.

    9
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    Mute Liam kelly
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    Mar 27th 2013, 10:28 AM

    Yes Ross, but most are released the same day, it’s turned into a paperwork exercise now to get the penal warrant off the system…..

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    Mute Ross McNulty
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    Mar 27th 2013, 10:32 AM

    That is true Liam, but won’t the spent convictions bill cover a lot of those?

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    Mute Galwaybay
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    Mar 27th 2013, 6:58 AM

    Oh no are the poor little prisoners having their human right violated. What about their victims? What about their human rights?

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    Mute Truthytruthteller
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    Mar 27th 2013, 7:06 AM

    @ gbay

    Being jailed because one is unable to afford to pay a tv license or a fine should not lead to the suspension of one’s human rights.

    you seem to be looking for green thumbs, you should get plenty, all the guards will be on here soon.

    16
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    Mute Galwaybay
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    Mar 27th 2013, 8:07 AM

    Think you’ll find a very small percentage of the prison population is in for not paying the tv licence. From all reports if people are inprisioned for such offences the’re literally only in for a number of hours.

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Mar 27th 2013, 8:22 AM

    Don’t think he’s talking about people in prison for minor offences, Truthy.

    6
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    Mute Annette Temple
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    Mar 27th 2013, 8:31 AM

    Prisoners in this country get treated better than our elderly. Prison as it stands does not act as a deterrent to criminals. Three meals a day (from the menu of your choice) in a heated hotel where all of your medical problems are taken care of. TV, gaming, pool tables. Back to hard labour, porridge and eat whatever you’re given. Let the bleeding hearts bleed. They wouldn’t be there if they hadn’t committed the crime! Maybe then they might just decide not to mug an 80 year old woman in her own home. These people are animals and deserve to be treated as such. Rant over…bring on the red thumbs. :)

    31
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    Mute Truthytruthteller
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    Mar 27th 2013, 8:57 AM

    @ Annette

    I just had porridge………porridge is not just for crims….porridge is great…carry on..

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    Mute Annette Temple
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    Mar 27th 2013, 12:51 PM

    Love a bit of porridge myself actually… Gruel then! :)

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    Mute Truthytruthteller
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    Mar 27th 2013, 2:06 PM

    give them tesco sardines, that’s punishment.

    1
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    Mute John Cotter
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    Mar 27th 2013, 8:19 AM

    If fines were deducted from a persons wages or their dole at a figure of say €10 a week it would free up plenty of space in prisons and ensure fines were paid. As it is most who don’t pay a fine are released the same day they go into the prison and as a result most repeat offenders would never pay a fine. Also it is very rare that a person would receive a custodial sentence for tv licence, although I do acknowledgethat it has happenedin the past. As for the tax defraud involving the garlic, that was a theft of millions from the state, ie every one of us. I do believe that deserves a long sentence.

    25
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    Mute Cathy Carton
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    Mar 27th 2013, 9:14 AM

    In Texas there is a prison governed who runs a prison where they live in tents, no TV, no priveleges , and they get worked hard. His thinking is that they don’t deserve full rights and certainly didn’t worry about their victim’s rights…… would love to see how many repeat offenders we would have with that system here

    11
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    Mute Truthytruthteller
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    Mar 27th 2013, 9:18 AM

    @ Cathy

    They should definitely have to work in the community, clearing hedgerows of rubbish and the like.

    9
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    Mute Truthytruthteller
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    Mar 27th 2013, 9:44 AM

    Cathy

    you and i got one red thumb each………some crim is commenting from his cell…..

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    Mute David Jordan
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    Mar 27th 2013, 1:33 PM

    Texas has a massive recidivism rate, not to mention the fact that while prison labor has made some people very rich, it has put a large number of people out of work, even Fox News, the voice of the far right, agrees with that:

    http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/09/06/prison-labor-costing-alabama-mississippi-jobs/

    Only to be expected, why pay workers minimum wage when you can pay a prisoner less or even nothing to do the same work.

    7
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    Mute Damien Byrne
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    Mar 27th 2013, 8:22 AM

    Lots of people get fines for fighting and drugs and do not bother paying them. It’s these guys that are locked up for not paying fines. If you do not pay a tv licence you would be lucky to do a couple of hours. Shoplifters also get a lot of fines.

    10
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    Mute Denzil
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    Mar 27th 2013, 11:07 AM

    F@#k their human rights you do the crime you do the time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Their should be more cutbacks in prisons for example no heating , no hot water , lights out at 6pm , cheaper food eg porridge bread and water ,
    Would free up cash for other things eg Crumlin Children’s Hospital

    7
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    Mute Truthytruthteller
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    Mar 27th 2013, 11:53 AM

    What is it with you people and the f**king porridge

    lay off the porridge…………………………

    4
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    Mute Denzil
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    Mar 27th 2013, 12:06 PM

    Sorry ill lay the porridge :-) , give them Tesco own brand cereal yukk

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    Mute Truthytruthteller
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    Mar 27th 2013, 2:05 PM

    @ denzil

    give them tesco sardines…….i thought sardines could only taste like sardines until i bought tesco sardines one day………..they are gross.

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    Mute john Gallagher
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    Mar 27th 2013, 12:20 PM

    Prison should be prison…. If you don’t like the way your treated in there well don’t bloody get yourself in a position where your going to end up there!!! Simple…..

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    Mute Bill66
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    Mar 27th 2013, 11:23 AM

    saw a program on wheatfiel prison and prisoner had his own room ,TV,DVD ,etc.
    Went to gym then but of grub then yoga and Pilates class.
    He said there was plenty of drugs here and this was a plus.
    He said it himself it was not hard to do this and wouldn’t stop him doing the things he did.
    What a joke, prison should be hard not a holiday camp

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    Mute Shaun Sweeney
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    Mar 27th 2013, 7:24 AM

    .

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