The report calls for a radical change in prison policy. It provides an in-depth analysis of the prison system and outlines 15 recommendations for the future.

The paper highlights a need for a clearer articulation of values and the upholding of international human rights principles, concluding with a chapter of 15 recommendations.

Click here for Report 'The Irish Prison System:Vision, Values, Reality'.

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Time to end bankrupt prison policy, says Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice

Wednesday, 14 March 2012

The Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice has called on the Government to adopt a radically different approach to imprisonment, ending what it describes as the bankrupt policy of recent decades.

Speaking as the Jesuit Centre's report, The Irish Prison System: Vision, Values, Reality, is published, Fr Peter McVerry SJ, who works with the Centre, said: "Penal policy over the past twenty years has passively accepted a continual rise in the prison population. More and more prison places have been provided – at huge cost. But the result has been a bit like running up a down escalator: the improvements in basic conditions that could have been expected to occur as a result of new prison building have been largely wiped out by increasing levels of overcrowding." Fr McVerry added:"The Minister for Justice and the prison system now needs to systematically set about reducing the numbers in prison and should set a limit to the population at around 2,700."

Time to Give? Volunteering Opportunities in the Criminal Justice Area is a guide to possibilities for becoming a volunteer in organisations whose aim is to prevent involvement in crime or to respond to the needs of those affected by crime.

To view a PDF version of the directory Click here

by The Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice

This project was initiated by the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice and launched by the Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform, Mr Brian Lenihan TD, on 16 July 2007. The aim of the directory is to provide an accessible overview of current criminological research in the Republic of Ireland. The Directory includes research currently being undertaken by academics, research centres, Ph.D students, as well as research commissioned by statutory bodies. Read more about the background to the directory

For the online version of the Directory click here