Alternatives to prison in cases of non-violent crime urged
Some Respondents Not Reduce 68% Will Felt Picture Crime File Expanding Prison Capacity That Of
More investment is needed to better support people struggling with addiction, poverty, and trauma to reduce Ireland’s prison population, a general election hustings by the Irish Prison Reform Trust (IPRT) has heard.
Politicians from five political parties agreed that the root causes of crime like poverty and addiction need to be better addressed to reduce Ireland’s prison population.
On Wednesday, Ireland’s prisons were at 113% occupancy with 5,100 prisoners, when the bed capacity is 4,519.
IPRT executive director, Saoirse Brady said a new Red C public opinion poll for the IPRT found that 81% of adults surveyed believe it is important for the next government to prioritise alternatives to imprisonment in cases of non-violent offences.
Only 26% of respondents viewed prison as an effective tool for addressing non-violent crime.
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When asked about how they would spend an annual budget of €10m to best tackle crime, over one in three surveyed would prioritise person-centred interventions such as additional drug treatment places, extra youth workers, and more consultant psychologists.
Fewer than 10% see additional prison spaces as a priority.
In general, people were sceptical about the merits of expanding prison capacity, the survey found.
Some 68% of respondents felt that expanding prison capacity will not reduce crime.
Instead, they believe tackling the underlying causes of crime is more effective.
Sinéad Gibney, who is running in the general election for the Social Democrats, said poverty and inequality are the key causes of crime.
But the majority of funding goes to dealing with crime after it has been committed rather than addressing its causes.
Providing better youth services, mental health services, and addiction treatment would deal with the causes of crime at source and do right by communities.
Fianna Fáil TD Jim O’Callaghan said his party would fund 1,100 extra prison spaces if re-elected to government, which he said is reasonable considering Ireland’s expanding population.
Mr O’Callaghan said he appreciates that the causes for people ending up in prison are complex and that the focus must be on providing services earlier to keep people out of prison.
But he said “ultimately, if someone commits a violent offence, there has to be custodial sentencing for that".
Labour MEP Aodhán Ó Riordáin said that short sentences for non-violent crimes must be stopped.
Women are often jailed for short terms for non-violent offences and these jail terms inflict disproportionate damage on women and families, building intergenerational distrust of the State in those women’s children.
Many people could and should be treated in kept in their communities instead.