Use of parole could ease overcrowding

THE parole system for prisoners may be extended to include those on shorter sentences in a bid to ease overcrowding in the prison system.

Announcing the initiative, Justice Minister Alan Shatter said prison numbers exceeded 5,000 for the first time in March 2010 and, last Wednesday, had reached 5,289.

He told the delegates attending the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) annual conference that 4,495 of those were in custody and 794 (15%) were on temporary release — almost one in six.