O'Regan supports call for greater use of alternatives to prison as prison population exceeds 4,000
Issued : Sunday 18 October, 2009

The head of the visiting committee to Mountjoy prison has noted that overcrowding in prisons, which has reached levels dangerous for inmates and staff, can only be solved if people guilty of minor crimes are not imprisoned. In 2008, 43% of those sentenced to a term prison was for a term of three months or less, and 87.5% of those imprisoned were non-violent offenders. If someone is sentenced to three months or less, the crime for which they are sentenced is not likely to be classed as serious.

"Expectations about the role of prison and what it can do for society has been raised to unrealistic levels. If we are to be truly victim-centred, and truly strive for a reduction in crime, we need to examine who we send to prison and why, what happens in prisons, and what the alternatives are. This examination needs to be based on an empirical analysis of what benefits all society" says Councillor O' Regan. "Of course, there are violent offenders who commit serious crimes from whom society needs to be protected, but our prisons are not full of them. People with mental health problems, people who cannot pay debts, and people who commit minor offences should not end up in prison, though there are many of them there. Looking to our neighbours, the Scottish Prisons Commission Report in 2008 says that where people are imprisoned, even for short periods of time, ''they are more likely than those on community sentences to be re-convicted and re-imprisoned'. The Commission on English prisons 2009 notes that prison results in the poor becoming poorer, those with mental health needs and drug and alcohol addictions becoming more unhealthy, and more addicted, and the young learning new patterns of offending.

On the other hand, payback in the community by way, for example, of community service orders, seems to be more effective and recidivism rates are lower. Where appropriate, payback in the community is cheaper for the taxpayer ,benefits society, is still punitive, but keeps people out of the toxic, drug riddled environment of prison. "I noted that the proposal in the McCarthy report to include graffiti removal as part of community service orders has just been commenced with the probation and welfare service, and I welcome that", O' Regan said. "Of course there needs to be greater support in the community for those with mental health and addiction problems, where these may be the cause of offending."