Last year saw a further rise in the number of community-service sanctions handed down by Irish courts — with a marked increase in those involving female offenders.

Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan has announced the allocation of €300,000 in funding to social enterprises providing employment opportunities for people with a criminal past.

The Probation Service and Rape Crisis Network Ireland have backed draft laws regarding the disclosure of information, electronic tagging and restricting foreign travels of convicted sex offenders.

One of the victims of a man jailed for a series of random attacks on women in Dublin has spoken of her ordeal and the profound effect it still has on her.

A new bail scheme for juveniles charged with a criminal offence is trying to keep “as many young people out of the custodial system” as possible, the head of the Probation Service has said.

Conor Ryan’s article (Irish Examiner, Jan 4) on ‘Repeat Offenders’, “why criminals reoffend, and what can be done... to buck the trend” explores an important phenomenon across the world — why some people reoffend, having already been sanctioned by the courts.

SEX offenders are to be subjected to a new “risk analysis” before they are released from prison or serve their sentences in the community.

PEOPLE who complain about crime should get off their backsides and do something about it, Justice Minister Michael McDowell has challenged.

PLANS to prevent prisons being used as a “dumping ground” for homeless people have been shelved because of a lack of resources, according to one of the country’s leading unions.