Prisons

Some prisoners are still forced to "slop out" despite repeated government promises to the end the practice. According to the latest figures released by Justice Minister Helen McEntee, 51 inmates – around one per cent of the total Irish prison population – are still slopping out.

The amount of illicit homemade alcohol seized in Irish prisons nearly tripled in the first half of 2020, according to new figures. A total of 541 litres of alcohol were seized between 1 January 2020 and 11 July 2020, compared to 395 litres for the whole of 2019, The Irish Times reports.

The number of prisoners released on a temporary basis in Northern Ireland has declined by more than a third over five years, figures show. A total of 666 prisoners were released on a temporary basis on at least one occasion in 2015, but the number has declined in each consecutive year.

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