Many prisoners should not be in prison, according to a former Assistant Governor, amid increasing overcrowding.
There are over 5,000 people behind bars in Ireland for the first time ever, according to an analysis from The Journal.
There were 4,833 people in detention on average each month this year, up from 4,562 last year.
The Irish Penal Reform Trust said the Government’s approach “to relieving the pressures on the bulging prison system is clearly failing”.
Former Assistant Governor Niall Spelman said the increase reflects Ireland’s growing population.
“The population has increased in recent years, so there's greater demand for school places, for hospital places, and inevitably, there is greater demand for prison places,” he told Lunchtime Live.
He also said, however, there has been “a chronic failure” on behalf of the senior management of the Irish Prison Service.
“There has been no planning for any new prison for any period of time,” he said.
“The reaction at the moment of the prison service is to shoehorn more cell accommodation into existing sites, which in itself, will create more long-term problems.
“They are trying to convert buildings that are not fit for cells.”
Crowding in prison
Mr Spelman also pointed out that there could be many people in cells taking up space – even if they shouldn’t be there, in his opinion.
“Life’s unfortunate, and there’s an awful lot of mentally ill people who end up in prison who would be better off in hospital.”
He noted in some prisons, such as the women’s facility in Mountjoy, overcrowding is so high that prisoners are quickly considered for release just to free up space.
Wheatfield Prison in Dublin is seen in April 2015. Picture by: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ieSAVE founder Kathleen Chada said she was surprised to learn roughly 50% to 60% of prisoners are serving one-year sentences.
“Our system has to be robust and has to be there to incarcerate those that have done something so horrendous,” she said.
“There are so many people in prison at the moment that possibly don't need to be there, that are there for other reasons.
“If you've got something like a minor crime, why aren't we looking at things like tagging and then Community Service.”
The Prison Officers Association reported in April that violent incidents in prisons in Ireland have increased by 137% in the space of three years.
Listen back here:
