Prisons

Successful efforts to keep COVID-19 out of Irish prisons came at a "significant cost to the mental health and wellbeing of the people subject to special measures", a new report has found. The Office of the Inspector of Prisons (OIP), in conjunction with legal academics at Maynooth University, has pu

A review of support measures for stressed prison officers has moved forward with the appointment of two professionals to lead the review. Siobhan Keating, a consultant psychologist in Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, and Gillian Robinson, the HR director of the Probation Board for Northern Irel

Prison authorities have warned prisoners' families that their loved ones could overdose on drugs smuggled into prison after months of COVID-19 restrictions. In its new family information booklet, the Irish Prison Service (IPS) warns that drug overdose "is now the main threat facing your loved ones i

Thousands of offenders, including those convicted of sexual or violent offences, were released from prison into homelessness in England and Wales last year, jeopardising their rehabilitation. Figures show that 11,435 people were released from prison into homelessness in 2018/19, and 4,742 homeless p

Physical prison visits will resume in Northern Ireland later this month, Justice Minister Naomi Long has confirmed. Under new guidance, physical visits will be allowed to take place from 27 July, but virtual visits will remain "the preferred option".

Physical prison visits will resume on a phased basis next month, nearly four months after their suspension during the COVID-19 crisis, the Irish Prison Service has announced. A new system of video visits was introduced in lieu of physical prison visits following their suspension on 27 March 2020.

Ireland released a relatively high number of prisoners during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new figures from the Council of Europe. The Irish Prison Service (IPS) reported releasing 476 prisoners, or 12 per cent of its total prison population, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Overcrowding in Irish prisons will reach "unsustainable" levels if the courts continue to hand down short-term prison sentences instead of community alternatives, penal reform campaigners have said. The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) has called for a review of legislation designed to increase the u

Prisoner numbers continued to rise in Ireland last year, putting pressure on the penal system in areas including prisoner accommodation, the provision of services and the volume of prisoner escorts. The total number of prisoners in custody in 1 January 2019 was 3,904, which increased to a peak of 4,

The measures in place to support prison officers in Northern Ireland who are experiencing work-related stress are set to be reviewed. Justice Minister Naomi Long said she would commission a "focused review" of the support mechanisms and procedures put in place by the Northern Ireland Prison Service

Ireland's prison service is submitting guidance to the World Health Organisation (WHO) after avoiding a single confirmed case of COVID-19 among prisoners and staff. Prisons in Northern Ireland, England and South America have contacted the Irish Prison Service (IPS) for advice on keeping the virus ou

Prison officers, health care and education staff have been commended for "remarkable progress" in improving performance and outcomes at Hydebank Wood Secure College and Ash House women’s prison. However, the new independent inspection reports also raise concerns about efforts to tackle the sup

Disabled prison officers have a right to reasonable workplace accommodations to facilitate their work, judges have ruled. The High Court ruled this morning that the Labour Court was wrong in law to find that the Irish Prison Service (IPS) had a blanket exemption in relation to providing reasonable a

The next government has been urged to prioritise the establishment of a Penal Policy Consultative Council following the publication of new research on reoffending. The Department of Justice's commitment to evidence-based policy-making "could be best demonstrated" through pursuing the move, first rec

A new research project on familial imprisonment has been awarded funding from the Irish Research Council (IRC). Dr Fiona Donson and Dr Aisling Parkes of UCC School of Law are leading the project, which will be delivered in collaboration with the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT).