Penal Policy
IPRT advocates for a national penal policy that is just and humane, promotes effective non-custodial responses to crime and uses prison as a last resort.
Our vision is for Irish penal policy that focuses on non-custodial responses to crime and has rehabilitation and social reintegration at its core. We believe that the emphasis of our penal system needs to move towards diverting young offenders and at risk groups away from offending behaviour at the entry points to the penal system.
We work towards securing long-term commitment to a coherent, evidence-informed, and effective penal policy, underpinned by international best practice. Effectiveness in this context is taken to mean the approaches to offending behaviour which reduce the risk of re-offending and which are seen to have the greatest social and economic benefits while minimising potential social and economic harm.
Key issues for IPRT in relation to the development of Irish penal policy over recent years have included highlighting the rapid expansion of our prison population from 2007 to 2011 (and again in 2018 and 2019) and promoting alternatives to custody through research, advocacy and policy work.
We also engage in public and political debate around crime and punishment to build more informed debate and counteract the demonization of offenders. Some of our media appearances are detailed here.
US: Recommendations for reducing incarceration through evidence-based policies
15th August 2011
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has recently published a report making a series of evidence based recommendations on how states can reduce incarceration, reducing both costs and crime rates.
Scotland: Guide for People with Learning Disabilities and the Criminal Justice System
11th August 2011
The Scottish Government has recently published a Guide aimed at improving the relationship between people with learning disabilities and the criminal justice system.
Home Detention Curfew and Open Prisons in Scotland
11th July 2011
Two schemes have been operating in Scotland providing conditional liberty to prisoners to maximise the opportunity for a safe and effective transition into society at the end of their sentence and to relieve the pressure of high prison populations.
Drop in Wisconsin's Prison Population
13th January 2011
Wisconsin's prison population dropped significantly in 2010, reversing a trend of ballooning incarceration that had been predicted to continue for years.
A Label for Exclusion: Support for alcohol misusing offenders.
8th January 2011
A policy paper released today by the Centre of Mental health identifies areas and practical examples of how, in a changing and uncertain policy and commissioning landscape, the joint commissioning and delivery of alcohol interventions for offenders in the community might be productively developed.
Temporary release procedures
8th December 2010
A report delivered by the current Inspector of Prisons, Judge Michael Reilly, to the Minister for Justice three months ago (only released today) identified “a litany of flawed systems” within the justice system which combined with individual lapses of judgment and ended in the death of Mr. Noel Keegan, who was assaulted on 31 December 2009.
Spending Cuts and Crime Implications: IPRT Submission Budget 2011
3rd December 2010
Ignoring the crime dimension to current financial decisions will have lasting negative effects for the Irish economy and society into the future. The IPRT Submission to Budget 2011 warns against false economies and the indirect costs of increasing marginalisation.
Re-offending Statistics in England and Wales
11th November 2010
The UK’s Ministry of Justice recently released a paper entitled Compendium of Re-offending Statistics and Analysis aiming to reliably compare proven reoffending rates between offenders receiving short custodial sentences and offenders commencing a court order under probation supervision.
RTÉ Marian Finucane: Prisons in Ireland
28th August 2010
An in-depth discussion on imprisonment in Ireland, including its effectiveness (or not) as punishment, issues surrounding the availability of rehabilitation services (and information about services), drugs in prison and drug treatment in prison, and more.
Irish Times: Prison not the only answer
10th August 2010
There is much more justice to be yielded from alternatives to prison.
