29th October 2003
The Irish Penal Reform Trust's 7th Annual Conference - Juvenile Justice in Ireland: Critical Perspectives, Human Rights & Good Practice - will be held on November 1st in the Marino Institute for Education in Glasnevin, Dublin. The conference will host a number of Irish and international experts on youth justice and will explore the multiple challenges to improving policy and practice in Ireland.
The keynote speaker for the conference will be Rob Allen. Mr. Allen is the Director of Rethinking Crime and Punishment in London and is a member of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales. He will explore some of the successes and and barriers experienced in the effort to reform youth justice policy and practice in the U.K.
The conference will host a number of prominent Irish experts including Dr. Ursula Kilkelly (Faculty of Law, University College Cork), Fr. Peter McVerry, Linda Moore (Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission) and Dr. Paul O'Mahony (criminologist, Trinity College Dublin). There will also be a number of issue-focussed workshops addressing the rights of children, good practice in working with young people who use alcohol/drugs, and on advocacting for change in Ireland.
"Juvenile justice is an issue of increasing public concern," said Rick Lines, IPRT Executive Director. "This conference will be a unique opportunity to focus specifically on youth justice in the Irish context, and to look towards building juvenile justice policies and practices that respect the rights of young people and refelect good practice. We hope it will serve as a catalyst for increased focus in Ireland on this important issue."
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.