Invitation to Tender: Access to Rights & Justice for Migrants and Ethnic Minority People in the Penal System

30th November 2020

*We are no longer accepting tenders as the deadline has passed.*

IPRT is now inviting tenders for the research and production of a report examining the rights and experiences of migrants and ethnic minorities in the penal system in Ireland.

CONTEXT

The disproportionate representation of migrants and ethnic minorities in criminal justice systems across the globe is well documented. In Ireland, there has been some research on the rights and experience of migrants and ethnic minorities at policing and sentencing stages, and the over-representation of minority ethnic groups in the prison system has been highlighted to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IHREC, 2020). However, broader issues of racial and ethnic equality in the penal system remain under-explored in an Irish context, particularly in terms of accessing rights and accessing justice.

PROJECT OUTLINE

IPRT has been awarded funding from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) to pursue a research and awareness-raising campaign focused on the rights and experiences of migrants and ethnic minorities in the penal system in Ireland. The project aims to cast a spotlight on any differential outcomes in key parts of the penal system, including sentencing, probation and prisons; examine potential discrimination within custodial and non-custodial sanctions; and identify any discriminatory practices experienced by migrants, foreign nationals and ethnic minorities in the penal system. The overall objective is to empower rights-holders in the penal system to access their rights and justice, and encourage a culture of respect for racial and cultural equality and human rights among relevant public bodies.

We expect that the final report will include:

• Description of the rights and experiences of ethnic minorities and migrants in the penal system (comprising probation and prison services) in Ireland, including identification of barriers to accessing rights and access to justice.         
• A literature review that provides a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of race and penal systems, including reference to applicable human rights standards and relevant jurisprudence.    
• Analysis of sentencing, probation and prisons data that examines disparities in pre-trial, sentencing and prison outcomes, and examine any differential outcomes for ethnic minorities, foreign nationals and/or migrants (e.g. over-representation in solitary confinement).    
• Interviews and fieldwork with key stakeholders, including people with direct experience of the issues.
• Proposals for evidence-informed policy recommendations, developed in consultation with rights-holders.
• Analysis of how the Public Sector Duty can be fully implemented by relevant criminal justice bodies.  

Requirements:

• Demonstrated knowledge of the Irish criminal justice system and/or critical human rights in Ireland;
• Experience in a range of research methods, both quantitative and qualitative (incl. conducting interviews, data analysis, undertaking desk-based research); commitment to the highest standard of research ethics;
• Ability to liaise with relevant key stakeholders involved in the Irish criminal justice system;
• Experience in producing high-quality documents to agreed deadlines, within strict word-counts to publication standard;
• First-rate drafting abilities, exceptional writing skills, attention to detail, and ability to adhere to budgetary requirements.  

Tender Process and Timeline:

Tendering individuals or organisations must submit a tender document of no more than four pages as soon as possible or by 21st December 2020 at the latest. Each tender should include:

• A profile or CV of the individual(s) making the proposal;
• Details of previous relevant work in this area;
• Two samples of written work (these may be URLs to work published online);
• The methodology you propose to adopt in order to achieve the key deliverables;
• Costing and timeline with respect to the proposed work expressed within the overall budget for research of €10,000 (incl. VAT if applicable); and 
• Estimated number of days for completing the work.

Tenders should be submitted by e-mail to tenders@iprt.ie by noon on 21st December 2020 at the latest.

Queries should be directed to Michelle Martyn, IPRT Policy & Research Manager at mmartyn@iprt.ie

For more information, download the invitation to tender here.