Penal reformers concerned at rise in female prisoners

Penal reformers have expressed concern at the increase in female prisoners and the persistent use of prison for fine defaulters.

The Irish Penal Reform Trust said overcrowding remained a “chronic problem” and called for reforms to sentencing, diversion schemes, and early release programmes.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter said the increasing number of prisoners being committed to custody was the “greatest challenge” facing the system. He said a combination of new prison spaces in the Midlands, Cork, and Limerick prisons as well as the provision of greater options, including community service, to judges would help address the problem.

The Prison Service report for 2011, published yesterday, shows:

* Committals to prison increased slightly to 17,318 (17,179 in 2010);

nThe number of people being jailed rose slightly to 13,952 (13,758);

nThe number of men jailed stabilised at 12,050 (12,059);

nThe number of women jailed jumped to 1,902 (1,701).

The number of committals for failing to pay fines increased by 12%, from 6,683 in 2010 to 7,514 in 2011. This compared to 4,806 in 2009.

“Given that the number of prisoners had increased by 30% over the preceding three years, the fact that 2011 saw static prison growth is encouraging,” said Liam Herrick, executive director of the IPRT.

“At the same time there remain some worrying trends, such as the increase in female prisoners, the persistent use of prison for fine default, and the aging of the prison population.”

He said the average daily population had crept up in 2012 to 4,520, compared to the average daily of 4,313 in 2011. Mr Herrick praised certain steps to deal with overcrowding but urged a “root and branch reform” of remission, temporary release, and parole.

Mr Shatter said 300 new prison places in the Midlands Prison would be operational by the end of the year. He said a new prison at Cork would be available in late 2015 and that two wings at Limerick Prison were being refurbished.

The report also said: * One fifth of prisoners are on protection (905);

* The number of committals involving sentences of between one and five years rose by 22% (from 1,224 to 1,488);

* The number of committals involving sentences of between five years and life dropped by 16% (from 344 to 288);

* The average cost of a prison space dropped from €70,513 to €65,359 (with a total decrease in expenditure of €3.2m).

The report shows that although demands on the service are increasing, the number of prison officers has dropped by 250, with a fall of 60 more expected.

This is being offset by 130 new prison support officers.