30% of St Pat’s inmates on protection and locked up for over 20 hours a day

Almost one third of young offenders in St Patrick’s Institution are “on protection” and most of those are locked up for more than 20 hours a day for their own safety.

St Pat’s has the highest percentage of inmates on protection compared to any other prison. Also, in comparison with other Irish prisons, St Pat’s has almost twice the number of prisoners confined to their cells virtually all day.

The figures, provided to the Irish Examiner, give another insight into the scale of violence in St Pat’s, the country’s jail for male offenders aged 17-21.

Last week, it was revealed that St Pat’s was the most violent prison, responsible for one third of all assaults in the prison system.

Details supplied by the Irish Prison Service also show high levels of protection in many institutions, including Cork (28%), Cloverhill (26%), Limerick (24%), and Midlands (23%).

The figures, from Jul 13, show:

nSt Pat’s, with a population of 217, had 66 (30%) offenders on protection and, of those, 51 were on a restricted regime (24%);

nThe number on a restricted regime has risen by 16% within seven months, from 44 on Nov 21, 2011;

nOf the 51 inmates on restricted regime, 49 are locked up between 20 and 22 hours a day and two are locked up between 22 and 23 hours a day.

“IPRT is extremely concerned about the high levels of violence reported in St Patrick’s Institution, and the high numbers being held on protection as a result,” said Liam Herrick of the Irish Penal Reform Trust.

“Being locked up for 20 to 23 hours a day is even more damaging for young adults than for older prisoners, exacerbating mental health issues and restricting access to education and training, which offers crucial routes away from offending behaviour.

“The Ombudsman for Children has found that boys in St Patrick’s are afraid to speak up about mental health issues they are experiencing, out of fear of being held in isolation for long periods. Extended periods of lock-up can amount to solitary confinement-type conditions, and it is a completely unacceptable way to accommodate any prisoners, least of all young people.”