7th November 2024
On 7 November 2024, the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) attended the launch of the Department of Justice's 'Building Pathways Together’ criminal justice employment strategy.
We were heartened to see many recommendations from IPRT’s ‘The Secondary Punishment’ report (undertaken by Dr Joe Garrihy and Dr Ciara Bracken-Roche of School of Law and Criminology Maynooth University and supported by Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and Open Doors Initiative), reflected in the actions.
The infographic accompanying the new strategy draws on previous research by SOLAS and Irish Penal Reform Trust that demonstrates the appetite amongst many employers to employ people with convictions.
The establishment of a Criminal Justice Employer Network is a key part of the strategy.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.