Inviation to tender: Examining the use of early release schemes in the criminal justice system in Ireland among the Traveller prison population’

31st October 2024

**The deadline for tender applications has now passed***

REQUEST FOR TENDERS FOR RESEARCH PROJECT

EXAMINING THE USE OF EARLY RELEASE SCHEMES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN IRELAND AMONG THE TRAVELLER PRISON POPULATION

INTRODUCTION

This study is being commissioned by the Traveller Justice Initiative (TJI).

The Traveller Justice Initiative (TJI) was established in 2014 as a response to the particular needs and circumstances of Travellers within the 14 prisons in Ireland. The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) currently hosts the TJI, which is funded by the Irish Prison Service (IPS) and the Probation Service.

Travellers as a whole – and Traveller women in particular - are over-represented in Irish prisons. Although only accounting for 0.7% of the population in the Republic of Ireland, 10% of the entire prison population and 15% of the female prison population (based on a census of Travellers in prison undertaken by the Irish Prison Service in November and December 2018).

The overall aim of the TJI is to embed positive change in policy and practice. The TJI has identified five key action areas that have the potential to inform policy and practice in a pragmatic and sustainable manner. They are:

• Building a knowledge base about Travellers in prison
• Increasing and improving access to prison-based services for Travellers
• Strengthening supports for families of Travellers in prison, and after prison, using a multi-agency approach
• Strengthening self-identity and self-advocacy for Travellers in prison by mainstreaming a peer-support model
• Increasing awareness and capacity through training and learning programmes to prison service and probation service staff.

An inter-agency Steering Group has been appointed to guide the direction of the TJI which is chaired by the National Traveller Women’s Forum and includes representatives from Pavee Point, the Irish Traveller Movement, IASIO, the Irish Prison Service, the Probation Service, the Irish Penal Reform Trust, Mincéirs Whiden, Traveller MABS, Exchange House, Traveller Counselling Service, the HSE Social Inclusion Unit, the Irish Red Cross, the Education and Training Board, the Traveller Mediation Service and Parish of the Travelling People.

BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH PROJECT

There are a number of early release schemes operational across the prison estate in Ireland. These are resettlement and rehabilitation schemes for those on custodial sentences, and they enable prisoners to serve a portion of their sentence in the community. There are a number of schemes that apply different eligibility criteria and conditions for participants. These include pilot and established schemes including:

• The Community Return (CRS) Scheme
• Temporary release (TR) Scheme
• Community Support Scheme (CSS)
• Structured temporary release scheme for female offenders (a pilot scheme)

The TJI wishes to commission a piece of research to explore the use of early release schemes in Irish prisons. The aim of the research is to understand the representation and engagement of Travellers in early release programmes, in order to identify ways to improve access and outcomes, where necessary.

Please see document attached below for further information.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR TENDERER AND TENDER PROCESS

Tenders are requested to submit proposals of no more than 3,000 words using the following format:

• Overall approach to the research project and methodology
• Proposed team details including relevant expertise and experience (please include examples of previous work in the tender)
• Approach to the individual tasks outlined above
• Costings for the work to be undertaken, including breakdown of number of days per task, price per day)
• Timeframe for the completion of the tasks of the research
• Details of two referees
• Ethical approaches which will apply to the research project

All queries in relation to this tender should be submitted by email only to tenders@iprt.ie or to Anne Costello, Co-ordinator, Traveller Justice Initiative, Acostello@iprt.ie

Tenders should be submitted to tenders@iprt.ie by 5pm on 5 November 2024.