8th April 2025
In the RTÉ Prime Time segment aired on 8 April 2025, titled "How the Lucky Dip gang is fuelling a car theft crisis," Saoirse Brady, Executive Director of the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) highlighted the broader issues surrounding children in the criminal justice system and highlighted alternative approaches.
Brady discussed the success of the Bail Supervision Scheme for young people, which uses multi-disciplinary teams to engage directly with children in their homes to address the root causes of their behaviour. Following a positive evaluation showing low reoffending rates, the scheme expanded from Dublin to Limerick and Cork.
She also noted that many young people involved in crime come from chaotic backgrounds and may face challenges such as mental health issues, bereavement, or absent parental figures, underscoring the importance of support-based interventions over purely punitive ones.
She spoke about how intervening early can help change behviour. She also spoke about the high costs of sending someone to the children's detention centre.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.