Prisons in the Republic of Ireland

Last updated

Mountjoy Campus, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, Ireland Mountjoy Prison.jpg
Mountjoy Campus, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, Ireland

Prisons in Ireland are one of the main forms of punishment, rehabilitation, or both for the commission of an indictable offense and other offenses.

Contents

Authority

In 1925, shortly after the establishment of the Irish Free State, Minister for Justice, Kevin O'Higgins, introduced legislation repealing the existing ability of grand juries to appoint visiting committees to prisons within the State. Instead, the authority to appoint the members of prison visiting committees was vested solely in the person of the Minister. [1] [2] Similarly, the management of the prison system within the Irish Free State passed to the control of the Minister with the dissolution by statutory instrument of the General Prisons Board for Ireland (the G.P.B.) in 1928. [3] The G.P.B. had been an all-Ireland body. Thus, by this date, both the responsibility and control over the management and oversight of the prison service within the Irish Free State was held within the Minister's department. [4]

This situation remained unchanged until 1999 when the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, John O'Donoghue, established the Irish Prison Service to which was delegated the task of managing the day-to-day running of the prison system. [5] Simultaneously in 1999, a Prisons Authority Interim Board was established and its members were appointed by the Minister in 2000. The purpose of this board was to advise the director general and directors of the Irish Prison Service on the management of the penal system. [6] In 2002 the retired High Court Judge, Dermot Kinlen, was appointed the state's first Inspector of Irish Prisons. [7] However, none of these new bodies was ever established on a statutory basis despite indications to the contrary. Indeed, as recently as January 2011, Dermot Ahern informed the Dáil (Parliament) that:

I have no immediate plans to introduce legislation to place the Irish Prison Service or the Prisons Authority Interim Board on a statutory basis [8]

In 2009, the Irish Prison Service had an annual budget of €379.319 million and it had a staff of 3,568 people. [9]

EuroPris and the European Union

Ireland is a member of the European Union and the EuroPris system. [10] Being a member of this system requires abolition of the death penalty and humane prison conditions. The goal of the Europris system is to ensure cooperation between European prison systems which aims to improve the lives of prisoner and their families, growing public safety and security, and reducing the re-offending rate.

Prison services

The Irish prison system attempts to educate inmates and give them opportunities to avoid recidivism. The system provides multiple forms of education including vocational, life skills, basic education, healthy living, and technology education. The system also provides methamphetamine addiction treatment facilities that covers at least 80% of the Irish prison population. They also ready the inmates for reintegration and resettlement back into society and provide mental health and health services for the inmates. [11]

Prison population rate

As of February 2021, the prison population in Ireland was 3,729. [12] In December 2020, the incarceration rate was approximately 73 per 100,000 inhabitants. [12]

The proportions in the prison population are; 17.6% are pre-trial and remand prisoners, 4.2% are females, 1.0% are under the age of 18, and 13.3% of the prisoners are foreign. The maximum number of prisoners the system can handle is 4,273; the prisons in Ireland are 87.5% full. For 2017, the rates in pre-trial and female prisons both went up, the pre-trial prisoners went up to a rate of 17.6% and the female rate went up to 4.2%. The previous rates for females, 3.4% in 2015 and pre-trial prisoners was 14.6% in 2015. The remand and pre-trial rate increased by 3% and the female rate increased by 0.8%. Since 2000, the lowest population the system has had is 2,948 which was in 2000, and the highest rate was 4,318 in 2012. [13]

Prisons and prison population

There are 12 prisons in Ireland with a total bed capacity of 4,106 as of 31 December 2009. The daily average number of prisoners in custody in 2009 was 3,881. However, most of these prisons operate at or above capacity. [14] On 25 January 2011, the prison population stood at 4,541. There were about 80 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants in October 2015. [12]

Sentencing

In 2009 there were 15,425 committals to prisons in Ireland, which is an increase of 13.8% on 2008 when the equivalent figure was 13,557. 12,339 individuals accounted for all the committals in 2009. 10,865 committals to prisons in 2009 followed sentencing. [15]

Cost of placement

The average cost to incarcerate a person in a prison in 2009 was €77,222 per annum. This was a decrease of 16.7% on the 2008 figure when the cost of incarceration was €92,717 on average. [16] :4,50

Active prisons

Prisons in Ireland: Operational Capacity and Daily Average Number of Prisoners in Custody 2020 [17]
PrisonLocationYear OpenedTypeSecuritySentencedRemandAge RangeSpecial FeaturesServicing Area ofMale CapacityFemale CapacityDaily Average
Number (Male)
Daily Average
Number (Female)
Mountjoy Prison Dublin 7 1850ClosedMediumGreen check.svgGreen check.svg18+None Dublin City 75506670
Dóchas Centre Dublin 71999ClosedMediumGreen check.svgGreen check.svg18+NoneNational (except Munster)01460120
Cork Prison [18] Cork City 1972ClosedMediumGreen check.svgRed x.svg18+None Cork, Kerry, Waterford 29602710
Limerick Prison. [19] Mulgrave Street, Limerick 1822ClosedMediumGreen check.svgGreen check.svg18+NoneMales: Clare, Limerick, Tipperary. Females: Munster 2102820628
Castlerea Prison [20] Castlerea, County Roscommon 1996ClosedMediumGreen check.svgGreen check.svg18+None Connacht, Cavan, Donegal, Longford 34002970
Cloverhill Prison [21] Cloverhill, Dublin 22 1999ClosedMediumRed x.svgGreen check.svg18+None Leinster (primarily)43103620
Wheatfield Prison [22] Cloverhill, Dublin 221989ClosedMediumGreen check.svgRed x.svg18+None Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Wexford, Wicklow 61005050
Portlaoise Prison [23] Portlaoise, County Laois 1902ClosedHighGreen check.svgRed x.svg17+For those sentenced in the Special Criminal Court; subversive crimeNational29102250
Arbour Hill Prison [24] Dublin 71975ClosedMediumGreen check.svgRed x.svg17+Sexual offenders; long term sentencesNational13801300
Midlands Prison [25] Portlaoise, County Laois2000ClosedMediumGreen check.svgGreen check.svg17+None Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Westmeath 87508140
Loughan House [26] County Cavan 1973OpenLowGreen check.svgRed x.svg18+NoneNational14001050
Shelton Abbey [27] Arklow, County Wicklow 1973OpenLowGreen check.svgRed x.svg19+NoneNational1150930

One reason Ireland has a successful recidivism programme is the educational opportunities they provide while prisoners are serving a sentence. During a sentence, an inmate has access to a wide variety of classes, as well as personal tutoring services to help them succeed in their classes. These classes include home economics, art, pottery, photography, drama and music, crafts, technology, horticulture, and lastly science programs. There are also instructional technology courses available at certain facilities. If inmates do decide to attend classes, this allows them to be excused from some of the work duties that are required by the prison each day. All of this is provided through the Department of Justice and the Irish Vocational Education Committee. To decide what classes each inmate should enroll in, each inmate goes through an interviewing process. This helps the inmates because it gives them a personalized schedule that they would not be able to make on their own. Also, students are interviewed on a weekly basis to see if they are struggling in any classes. This allows the program to be more successful because if an inmate is having any trouble in their classes it is to be assessed right away so they can get the help they need to get back on track (Literacy Work in Prison). [28]

Minors

Formerly, children in Ireland (North and South) were detained in Industrial Schools or Reformatory Schools. Currently, within the Republic of Ireland, they are detained in institutions called Children Detention Schools. These detention schools are managed by the Irish Youth Justice Service. There are four facilities for the detention of "children", defined as boys under the age of 17 and girls under the age of 18:

Defunct prisons

Statutory basis of the penal system in Ireland

See also

Notes

  1. Kilcommins, Shane; O'Donnell, Ian; O'Sullivan, Eoin; Vaughan, Barry (2004). Crime, punishment and the search for order in Ireland. Dublin: Institute of Public Administration. pp. 41–2. ISBN   1-904541-13-5.
  2. Prisons (Visiting Committees) Act, 1925.
  3. S.I. No. 79/1928 — General Prisons Board (Transfer of Functions) Order, 1928.
  4. Kilcommins, Shane; O'Donnell, Ian; O'Sullivan, Eoin; Vaughan, Barry (2004). Crime, punishment and the search for order in Ireland. Dublin: Institute of Public Administration. p. 43. ISBN   1-904541-13-5.
  5. Kilcommins, Shane; O'Donnell, Ian; O'Sullivan, Eoin; Vaughan, Barry (2004). Crime, punishment and the search for order in Ireland. Dublin: Institute of Public Administration. p. 240. ISBN   1-904541-13-5.
  6. Irish Prison Service. "Functions of Interim Prison Board". Archived from the original on 26 April 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
  7. Times Online (6 August 2007). "Obit.: Mr Justice Dermot Kinlen". The Times. London. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
  8. House of the Oireachtas. "Written Answers – Irish Prison Service, Wednesday 12 January 2011" . Retrieved 22 February 2011.
  9. Irish Prison Service (2010). Annual Report (PDF). Dublin. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 May 2011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  10. "EuroPris". Irish Prison Service. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  11. "Irish Prison Service". www.irishprisons.ie. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 Irish Penal Reform Trust. "Facts and Figures" . Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  13. "Ireland, Republic of | World Prison Brief". prisonstudies.org. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  14. Irish Prison Service (2010). Annual Report (PDF). Dublin. pp. 3, 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 May 2011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  15. Irish Prison Service (2010). Annual Report (PDF). Dublin. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 May 2011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  16. Irish Prison Service (2010). Annual Report 2009 (PDF). Dublin. p. 4 and 50. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 May 2011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  17. Irish Prison Service (2020). Annual Report (PDF). Dublin. pp. 24–28.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  18. In 1806 a military barracks with a prison attached was opened by the British government on Rathmore Road, Cork City. Following independence in 1922 the control of this institution was taken over by the Irish Government and renamed Collins Barracks. It remained in the possession of the Irish Army until 1972 when it was handed over to the Department of Justice who returned the facility to use as a civil prison. It opened as a committal prison after considerable refurbishment in 1983. Irish Prisons Inspectorate (2005). Cork Prison Inspection: 13th – 17th September 2004. Dublin.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  19. Although built between 1815 and 1821 much of this facility has undergone extensive renovation of late. Many but not all of the old wings have been knocked down and replaced with new units providing for modern sanitation facilities. The original female section of the prison is generally not used except in cases of severe overcrowding, as a new modern female unit has been constructed. Irish Prisons Inspectorae (2007). Limerick Prison Inspection: 19th – 23rd June 2006 (PDF). Dublin.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  20. Castlerea opened as a district mental hospital from 1939. Operating for short periods as a tuberculosis sanitorium, it remained open as a hospital until 1994 during which time it was renamed as St. Patrick's Hospital. Following its closure as hospital a small number of prisoners were accepted into the facility in 1996 but work was not completed on the construction of the main cell blocks until 1998. Irish Prisons Inspectorate (2005). Castlerea Prison Inspection: 2nd – 9th June 2004 (PDF). Dublin.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  21. This is a purpose built "remand" prison and holds most of the male remand prisoners in the state. It is adjacent to the Wheatfield prison and shares many services with this institution. Inspectorate of Irish Prisons (2006). Cloverhill Prison Inspection: 22nd – 29th November 2005 (PDF). Dublin.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  22. Irish Prisons Inspectorate (2007). Wheatfield Prison Inspection: 10th – 12th and 19th – 21st April 2nd, 3rd, & 16th May 2006 (PDF). Dublin.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  23. The "E" block of Portlaoise Prison was built in 1902 on the site of an old county jail which had originally been built in 1830. The prison site consisted of 36 acres, 30 acres of which was farmland. Due to security concerns the farm ceased to function in the 1970s and currently hosts the Midlands Prison. From 1923 Portlaoise Prison was designated as convict prison (i.e. those sentenced to penal servitude understood as those serving sentences ranging from three years to life). In November 1972 the prison population then resident in the institution were dispersed to other institutions, principally Mountjoy Prison. In 1973 it ceased to be a convict prison and was instead designated as a high security prison to house subversive prisoners. In tandem with this change in status, army and police personnel were stationed in the grounds of the prison to augment the prison staff.Irish Prisons Inspectorate (2003). Portlaoise Prison Inspection: 9th, 10th, 11th December 2002 (PDF). Dublin. p. 2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Irish Prisons Inspectorate (2007). Portlaoise Prison Inspection: 6th – 10th November 2006 (PDF). Dublin. p. 6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  24. the original Arbour Hill Hospital and Prison was built in 1797 at the site of the modern day St. Bricin's Military Hospital. The hospital was subsequently modified and renamed the King George V Hospital. The prison was moved to its current location in Arbour Hill and built between 1845–48. Following independence control of the institution was transferred to the Department of Defence. It served as a military prison until 1973 when the institution was passed over to the control of the Department of Justice and in 1975 it was reopened as a civilian prison. The majority of the prisoners in this institution have been convicted of sexual offences. Irish Prisons Inspectorate (2004). Report on Visit to Arbour Hill Prison Commencing the 3rd November 2003 to the 7th November 2003 (PDF). Dublin. p. 6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  25. The Midlands Prison was built adjacent to Portlaoise Prison with which it shares some facilities. It was built as a public-private partnership for a cost of £46 million Irish punts. It is not a committal prison as all prisoners are transferred here from other prisons. Although there are a tiny number of prisoners in the population who are awaiting trial the vast majority of prisoners have been sentenced. Irish Prisons Inspectorate (2005). Midlands Prison Inspection: 27th – 1st July 2005 (PDF). Dublin. pp. 2–3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  26. Loughan House was built in 1953 as a noviciate for the White Friar Fathers Missionary Congregation. In 1972 the 47-acre site was sold to the Department of Justice and it opened as a penal institute for young male offenders aged between sixteen and twenty-three years old in 1973. Dating from 1978 it was used as a juvenile detention centre for male offenders aged between twelve and sixteen years old. From 1983 it has served as an open centre for male prisoners aged over eighteen years old.Irish Prisons Inspectorate (2008). Report on an Inspection of Loughan House Open Centre 2008 (PDF). Dublin. p. 4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  27. This institution, located near Arklow in County Wicklow, was previously the home of Lord and Lady Wicklow before it was acquired by the state in the early 1950s. In 1972 it was purchased by the Department of Justice and since 1973 it has continuously operated as an open detention centre. Irish Prisons Inspectorate (2006). Shelton Abbey Detention Centre Inspection: 10th Oct. – 15 Oct. – 2005 (PDF). Dublin.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  28. Kett, Mary (June 2001). "Literacy Work in Wheatfield Prison, Dublin, Ireland". JCE. 52: 63–67.

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Aylesbury</span> Prison in Aylesbury, England

His Majesty's Prison Aylesbury is a category C training prison situated in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. It is located on the north side of the town centre, on Bierton Road and is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feltham Prison and Young Offender Institution</span> Prison for male juveniles in west London, England

Feltham Young Offenders Institution is a prison for male juveniles and Young Offenders Institution, occupying 0.184 square kilometres south-west of Feltham in the London Borough of Hounslow, in west London, England. It is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountjoy Prison</span> Prison in Dublin, Ireland

Mountjoy Prison, founded as Mountjoy Gaol and nicknamed The Joy, is a medium security men's prison located in Phibsborough in the centre of Dublin, Ireland. The current prison Governor is Ray Murtagh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portlaoise Prison</span> Maximum security prison in Ireland.

Portlaoise Prison is a maximum security prison in Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland. Until 1929 it was called the Maryborough Gaol. It should not be confused with the Midlands Prison, which is a newer, medium security prison directly beside it; or with Dunamaise Arts Centre, which was the original Maryborough Gaol built c. 1789.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons</span> United Kingdom legislation

His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons is the head of HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the senior inspector of prisons, young offender institutions and immigration service detention and removal centres in England and Wales. The current chief inspector is Charlie Taylor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Exeter</span> Prison in Devon, England

HM Prison Exeter is a category B local and resettlement men's prison, located in Exeter in the county of Devon, England. It holds men sentenced by the courts of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset. There are also prisoners from further afield who have been transferred from other prisons. Exeter Prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.

St. Patrick's Borstal Institution, Clonmel, was established in Ireland in 1906 as a place of detention for young male offenders aged between 16 and 21, and located in Clonmel, County Tipperary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dóchas Centre</span> Womens prison in Dublin, Ireland

The Dóchas Centre is a closed, medium security prison, for females aged 18 years and over, located in Mountjoy Prison in Dublin, Ireland. It is also the committal prison for females committed on remand or sentenced from all Courts outside the Munster area of Ireland.

St. Patrick's Institution, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, was an Irish penal facility for 16- to 21-year-old males. It had a capacity of 217 beds and had an average inmate population of 221 in 2009. It was a closed, medium security prison.

Cork Prison is an Irish penal institution on Rathmore Road, Cork City, Ireland. It is a closed, medium security prison for males over 17 years of age. As of 2022, it had a bed capacity of 296 and the daily average number of resident inmates was 262. It is immediately adjacent to Collins Barracks and near the Glen area of the city.

Limerick Prison in Limerick is an Irish penal institution.

Castlerea Prison is a closed category, medium security prison in Castlerea, County Roscommon, Ireland. It houses men over 17 years of age. As of 2022, it had a bed capacity of 340 and the daily average number of resident inmates was 320.

Cloverhill Prison is a remand prison in Dublin, Ireland. It is on Cloverhill Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. It has a bed capacity of 431 and its average daily number of inmates in 2022 was 424.

Wheatfield Place of Detention is a closed, medium security prison located on Cloverhill Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. It receives male prisoners of 17 years of age and older from the counties of Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Wexford and Wicklow. It has a bed capacity of 430 and in 2009 the average daily number of inmates resident was 426.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Training Unit</span> Prison in Dublin, Ireland

The Training Unit is a semi-open, low security prison located on the grounds of the Mountjoy Prison campus in Dublin 7. It receives prisoners eighteen years of age and over and is designed to provide industrial training to inmates prior to the release. It has an official bed capacity of 107 and in 2009 its daily average number of inmates resident was 112.

The Midlands Prison is a medium security prison in Portlaoise, County Laois. It receives prisoners who are aged 17 years and over. It has a bed capacity of 870 and its daily average number of inmates resident in 2009 was 512.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patarei Prison</span> Prison in Tallinn, Estonia

Patarei Prison, also known as Patarei Sea Fortress and Tallinn Central Prison, commonly known as The Battery (Patarei), is a building complex in Kalamaja district of Tallinn, Estonia. The premises cover approximately four hectares of a former sea fortress and prison, located on the shore of Tallinn Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penal labour in the United Kingdom</span>

Penal labour in the United Kingdom exists as part of a framework of rehabilitation.