Closure of State’s juvenile open prison a ‘shame’, say probation workers

THE closure of Ireland’s only open prison for juvenile offenders will make us the shame of Europe, probation workers said yesterday.

Brian Horgan of Impact the union representing probation staff said the closure of Shanganagh Prison means all 16 to 21-year-olds will now be locked up in secure prisons.

"It's appalling for a European country having all juvenile offenders in medium to high-security prisons, with no open facility," Mr Horgan said.

He said that the south Dublin prison was being deliberately made unviable by the authorities in the Prison Service and the Justice Department of Justice.

"The numbers in Shanganagh at the moment, around 13 offenders, don't justify the running costs. But that's the result of a deliberate policy to run down the open prison.

"It's a shame to see this minister saying we don't need an open prison for juvenile offenders," Mr Horgan said.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell yesterday said Shanganagh was costing too much to run. "In Shanganagh more than 40 staff are looking after less than 20 people. There's a programme of building of institutions. I have to build extra prison spaces, I need money to do it," Mr McDowell said.

Mr Horgan said Shanganagh was the victim of the runaway costs involved in building more prisons, started by the previous Justice Minister, John O'Donoghue.

"The difficulty has been caused by the last Minister of Justice's binge prison-building. We said the running costs would be unsustainable. Now in order to run secure prisons they have to sell off assets, like Shanganagh."

He said Shanganagh could be used to take juvenile offenders from the drug-free unit of St Patrick's Institution in Dublin on a gradual programme to prepare them for release.

He said the successful drug-free programme in St Patrick's could be extended in Shanganagh, and that probation staff could link the juveniles in with local drug support services.

"At the moment they are being released straight onto the street from a secure prison. These juvenile offenders need a phased programme of release."

He also said Shanganagh could be used for women offenders.

"The only facility for women is Dochas, a medium secure prison. Some women have serious mental health problems. There is also chronic overcrowding in Dochas and they are just being dumped out onto the street," he said.

Prison officers have also criticised the decision to close Shanganagh. They also believe the institution has been deliberately run down.