31st January 2024
IPRT contributed to the Mapping Solitary Confinement project, which seeks to draw a picture of how, when, why and for how long people can be placed in solitary confinement (also known as 'segregation' 'isolation' and 'secure care', amongst other names) in different countries across the world, and what their daily lives look like. The project, published in January 2024, also aims to identify common patterns and issues as well as good practice, and help inform reform efforts.
For the purpose of this project, questionnaires covering many aspects of solitary confinement (defined as 22+ hours a day in cell) were sent to individuals and organisations across the world. We asked what the practice was called, what were the legal and administrative bases for isolating people from their peers, its duration, daily regimes and, where available, data on the extent of its use. This resulted in IPRT's 'country report' reflecting the experience in Ireland.
Key findings from a selection of country reports are presented in a report published in January 2024.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.