9th August 2012
IPRT's Executive Director, Liam Herrick was interviewed for RTE's Morning Ireland radio programme (8th August 2012). Following the publication of the Irish Prison Service Annual Report 2011, Liam highlighted the worrying upward trends in committals of women and fine defaulters, despite the overall 'levelling off' of prison numbers. Liam also pointed out that the fall in costs per prisoner last year was not necessarily a positive development - staffing cuts have specific consequences for prisoner activity, and savings are being made by increasing bed capacity and squeezing more inmates into already overcrowded prisons.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.