Discussions on justice system claims

GARDA and justice bosses held discussions yesterday after rank and file gardaí claimed the justice system was “breaking down” due to early release of criminals.

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) said the increasing use of early release, in response to prison overcrowding, was “undermining” the work of gardaí and putting the safety of the community at risk.

As reported in the Irish Examiner, GRA general secretary PJ Stone said no sooner had gardaí done their job in bringing criminals before the courts than they were “prematurely” released, with many committing “serious crime” after being freed. Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy said PJ Stone was not saying law and order was breaking down but was referring to the “revolving door” issue.

“I was only this morning in discussion with the general secretary of the department [Justice] and we will work with the Prison Service to ensure those people who come out of prison, and who are recidivists, that we will monitor those and prevent them from committing those crimes.”

Mr Murphy said there was space in prison for convicted criminals and said the job of gardaí was “to get evidence and bring them before the courts”.

In his editorial in the Garda Review, the GRA journal, Mr Stone said: “The system of justice is breaking down. The proportion of inmates being given temporary release to ease prison overcrowding has been steadily increasing and on occasion more than one in four prisoners are not behind bars despite the decisions of judges and juries.

“This is not working, gardaí have found numerous prisoners on temporary release engaging in serious crime. The nature of these offences negates assurances that these are low-risk offenders.”

Recent figures show on June 25, 18% of the prisoner population, or 941 inmates, were on temporary release, with 4,317 in prison. In comparison, 13% (541 inmates) were on temporary release last December.

Mr Stone said the greater the pressure on prison spaces, the “faster the revolving door must travel”.

Fr Joe Young, who was chaplain of the troubled Southill estate in Limerick city for 25 years, backed Mr Stone. “I agree with him 100%. While gardaí are doing their job, in my 25 years in Southill I always felt gardaí were glorified babysitters.”

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern says 200 prison spaces are coming on stream with another 300 planned by the end of the year. A new prison at Thornton Hall was being progressed.