Number serving life sentences trebles in decade

THE number of people serving life sentences has nearly trebled in the last 10 years.

Figures show that the average length of a life sentence, for those who are released, now stands at 16 to 17 years, compared with 12 years in 1994.

The figures were released yesterday by Justice Minister Dermot Ahern at the launch of the Parole Board Annual Report 2008.

“The actual number of life sentence prisoners in custody has increased in the last 10 years, from an initial figure of less than 100 to a current level of 260,” said Mr Ahern. “Of these, there are 24 life sentence prisoners whose sentences pre-date 1990 and who have already served at least 19 years in custody.”

He said the three longest-serving prisoners have been in custody since 1964, 1973 and 1975.

Mr Ahern pointed out that the length of time lifers were spending in jail was increasing all the time.

“The average time spent in custody by these persons over the period 2004 to date is 16 to 17 years. This compares to an average of just over seven and a half years for releases dating from 1975 to 1984, just under 12 years for the period dating from 1985 to 1994 and just under 14 years for the period dating 1995 to 2004.”

Parole Board Chairman Gordon Holmes stressed that the figures only refer to those life sentence prisoners who are granted parole, also known as temporary release.

“It does not take into account people still serving sentences, who have been refused, largely on the grounds they still represent a threat to the public.”

Mr Ahern said he did not support calls for a 25-year mandatory sentence for murder, and manslaughter.

“When you have murder and manslaughter, the killing of a person, there are different degrees and different circumstances.”

He said the Parole Board understood not every killing had the “same gravity”.

Mr Gordon was critical of the few convictions for gun possession, despite the fact that its use in the commission of crime had become “commonplace”. The same applied to possession of knives which were weapons most commonly used in domestic murders and frequently used in street rows.

He said enforcement of recent gun and knife legislation was essential and complimented the minister on bringing in the laws.

Mr Ahern said he was happy with how the judiciary were, so far, implementing the new laws.

Mr Holmes said, despite encouraging signs from the crime statistics, the rate of serious crime remained “wholly unacceptable”.

“Gang warfare continues unabated. Hardly a week goes by without some horrific murder and investigations into these murders reveal the most common denominator throughout them all – the sale of drugs.”

According to the report, 66 cases were referred to the Parole Board in 2008, compared with 74 in 2007. There were 28 cases carried over from 2007.