· Minister launches the second Joint Probation Service - Irish Prison Service Strategy 2015-2017 and publishes the Irish Prison Service and Probation Service Annual Reports for 2014
· Overall daily average number of prisoners in custody in 2014 was 3,915 compared to 4,158 in 2013, a decrease of 5.8%.
· Minister reaffirms commitment to eliminate, in so far as possible, the option of imprisonment as a sanction for non-payment of fines
18th May, 2015
Frances Fitzgerald TD, Minister for Justice and Equality has today announced that she has approved a new Review of Drugs and Alcohol Services to Offenders.
The Minister was speaking at the launch of the second Joint Probation Service – Irish Prison Service Strategy which covers the two years 2015 to 2017. The Minister also today published Irish Prison Service and Probation Service Annual Reports for 2014
Minister Fitzgerald stated: “One of the factors which contribute to offending behaviour is the misuse of drugs and alcohol. A survey conducted by the Probation Service and published in 2012 found that the number of adult offenders on probation supervision who had ever misused drugs and/or alcohol was very high at 89%.
“We know too well of the devastating impact of the misuse and abuse of alcohol and drugs. Too many lives, too many opportunities are broken by addiction and resultant high-risk behaviour.”
“Tackling drugs in prison and among offenders on probation must be a top priority. Enforcement is one approach which we are pursuing. But improved addition services for offenders are also vital.”
“With this in mind I have given my approval to the commissioning of a Review of Drugs and Alcohol Services to Offenders.”
“The purpose of this review is to set out a pathway for the provision of improved alcohol and addiction services for offenders which will facilitate improved outcomes for them. Consultation with HSE, as the principal funder for drug and alcohol services, will form part of the review. The final report is to include a number of recommendations based on the evidence collected and I look forward to working with my Ministerial colleagues in addressing the addiction needs of offenders, both in custody and in the community, in a comprehensive and integrated way.”
Minister Fitzgerald today welcomed the publication of second Joint Probation Service – Irish Prison Service Strategy which covers the two years 2015 to 2017.
The Minister stated: “My view on penal policy is simple: I believe that serious and repeat offenders must continue to be imprisoned. There is a societal imperative underpinning this goal. But I equally recognise the proven potential of supervised community sanctions to reduce reoffending, thereby reducing crime. We therefore need a balanced and coordinated approach to offender management, recognising the need for a continuum of sanctions and services. Interagency working is critical.”
The Joint Strategy sets out how the two Services will work together with their statutory, community and voluntary sector partners to provide a multi-agency approach to offender management and rehabilitation from pre to post imprisonment.
The Minister added “This second joint strategy builds on the work already underway reflecting the integrated approach to working with offenders by the two Services – work which is closely aligned to the focus of rehabilitation and reintegration contained in the report of the Penal Policy Review Group.”
The strategy contains Eight Actions designed to achieve a reduction in re-offending and improve prisoner outcomes. One of these actions, the Joint Approach to Reducing Crime, is an inter-agency response to and co-operation in the management and rehabilitation of offenders.
Irish Prison Service Annual Report 2014
Speaking about the Prison Service Annual Report Minister Fitzgerald said: “Despite a small increase of 2.7% in the total committals to prison the overall daily average number of prisoners in custody has continued to fall. The overall daily average number of prisoners in custody in 2014 was 3,915 compared to 4,158 in 2013, a decrease of 5.8%.”
The Minister noted that there were 900 less prisoners in our prisons today than there were in February 2011
There were 16,155 committals to prison in 2014 compared to 15,735 in 2013. The increase is attributed to an 8% increase in the numbers committed on sentences of less than 3 months specifically those committed for the non-payment of a court ordered fine.
The Minister responded by reaffirming her commitment to eliminate, in so far as possible, the option of imprisonment as a sanction for non-payment of fines.
The Minister said: “This will be achieved through implementation in full of the Fines (Payments and Recovery) Act. Once the significant changes required to the fines system are implemented, the effects of this legislation on the number of committals to prison for the non-payment of a court ordered fine should be seen. The system will be operational from October this year.”
The Annual Report also includes a reference to the action plan put in place to ensure the recommendations of the Commission of Investigation into the Death of Gary Douch, relating to the Irish Prison Service, are being implemented.
The Minister said “I am pleased with the substantial progress made across a wide range of areas in the management of offenders in prison achieved by the Irish Prison Service in 2014.”
Probation Service Annual Report 2014
Speaking about the publication of the Probation Service Annual Report 2014, Minister Fitzgerald said, “The Probation Service continues to focus on increasing efficiencies in the way it does business within the criminal justice sector. Working with their colleagues in other agencies I can see that they are firmly on the road to supporting a just and effective penal system as envisaged by the strategic review of penal policy.”
The 2014 report outlines out how the Probation Service focussed its work on the delivery of effective programmes, women offenders, young offenders, the provision of assessment reports for the Courts and the management of sex offenders. Progress is reported on implementing the key objectives in the Probation Service Strategy Statement for 2011 - 2014 and developments during the year are outlined..
The Minister said “Despite the Probation Service having the capacity to manage more offenders the drop in the number of Community Service Orders made has continued. There were 2,190 Community Service Orders made in 2014 compared to 2,354 in 2013 and 2,569 in 2012.
The Minister added “While the figures remain better than before the 2008 value for money review of community service greater use of community service needs to be made. The report of the Review of Penal Policy group focused on the use of non-custodial alternative sanctions, where appropriate, as the best environment in which to achieve the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders and thereby reducing crime.”
The Irish Prison Service Annual Report 2014 is available at www.irishprisons.ie
The Probation Service Annual Report is available at www.probation.ie
The Joint Probation Service – Irish Prison Service Strategy 2015-2017 is available at both www.irishprisons.ie and www.probation.ie
Ends