No move to increase non-custodial sentences

THERE has been no significant increase in non-custodial sentences in recent years despite the recommendations of an expert group, according to the State’s financial watchdog.

In a report, the Comptroller and Auditor General said sentences served in the community under the supervision of the Probation and Welfare Service cost about one-third that of custodial sentences.

"In cost-effectiveness terms there appears to be a strong argument for developing the capacity of the Service to deal with as many offenders in the community as judges decide can appropriately be given such sentences," said Comptroller and Auditor General John Purcell in his report to the Oireachtas.

He noted that the Expert Group on the Probation and Welfare Service recommended in its 1999 report that there should be a significant shift in policy to facilitate the increased use of non-custodial sanctions.

Mr Purcell said that while the number of offenders supervised in the community had increased by more than half from 2,700 in 1995 to 4,100 in 2002 so had the number of people sent to prison.

The daily prison population stands at 3,200 inmates.

In relative terms, there had been little improvement, he said.

Mr Purcell pointed out that the budget for the Probation Service had increased from €32 million in 2002 to €41m in 2003 and that staff numbers rose by around one-third in 2002 to 323. But the report noted there had been an increase in the demands placed upon the service.

It said the number of pre-sentence reports prepared for judges increased from around 5,800 in 1995 to 7,000 in 2000.

"Although the service considers pre-sentence reports should be provided in most cases where judges are contemplating the use of custody, it did not generally promote the provision of reports to courts because it had insufficient resources to meet higher demand."

The report also pointed out that although there was a statutory provision for judges to seek reports from the service in family law cases, this function was not provided, Mr Purcell added.

"Up to 1995, the service provided some support in family law cases, but this was suspended to concentrate on meeting demand in the criminal justice area. Following an increase in staff levels in recent years, the service has agreed to provide some support for family law courts on a one-year pilot basis," he said.

Mr Purcell said 13% of staff resources were spent at routine court attendances to receive requests for reports - something that could be done if there was a proper computer link between the courts and probation.