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Irish Penal Reform Trust urges jail reform

The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) has welcomed the appointment of Caron McCaffrey as Director General of the Irish Prison Service and emphasised that the reform of the penal system must now strengthen and gather pace under her leadership.

Responding to the announcement Deirdre Malone, executive director of IPRT said the appointment was a positive opportunity for the IPS to redouble its commitment to reform of the penal system.  

“We look forward to engaging robustly with the new director general, along with all other stakeholders, to ensure the momentum for prison reform not only survives, but thrives during her leadership,” she said.

Reforms

While many progressive reforms in Ireland’s penal system have been achieved since 2011, the IPRT said a number of critical goals remain, including:

• Elimination of solitary confinement,
• Ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT),
• Establishment of an independent complaints mechanism, such as a Prisoner Ombudsman,
• Implementation of the Irish Prison Service and Probation Service Joint Strategy for Women Who Offend.

Currently, there are 3,958 people in prison custody in Ireland. Dóchas female prison is operating at 125% capacity (131 women for 105 spaces), while Limerick female prison is operating at 163% capacity (39 women for 24 spaces).

This autumn, the IPRT launched a major report Progress in the Penal System: A framework for penal reform (PIPS).

Overview

The report provides a comprehensive overview of human rights and best practice in Ireland’s penal system. IPRT has developed 35 standards against which the prevailing situation in Ireland’s penal system is tracked, monitored and assessed on an annual basis.

IPRT is Ireland's leading non-governmental organisation campaigning for the rights of everyone in prison, and the progressive reform of Irish penal policy, with prison as a last resort