Nearly 7,000 jailed for not paying fines

NEARLY 7,000 people were sent to jail for non-payment of fines last year.

The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) described the situation as “ludicrous” given the worsening overcrowding crisis in the prison system.

Speaking at the POA annual conference in Kilkenny, president Stephen Delaney said the Prison Service had a “stack ’em and rack ’em” policy, involving doubling up of more and more cells.

He said prison numbers, currently standing at almost 4,500, will hit 6,000 soon.

Addressing Justice Minister Alan Shatter, Mr Delaney said: “I can assure you that we as an organisation are not going soft on crime, but it is ludicrous to say that almost 7,000 people were sent to prison for the non-payment of fines, despite the adoption of the Fines Act earlier this year.”

The Prison Service confirmed that 6,683 people were committed to prison last year for non-payment of fines. Imprisonment was imposed for a range of offences, including non-payment of speeding fines, failure to pay credit union loans and failure to pay TV licences.

Prison officers said processing these people took up huge amounts of manpower and resources.

One POA source said most were back out on the streets within 12 hours, but some were kept in prison for up to three weeks.

Mr Delaney welcomed recent statements from Mr Shatter acknowledging that prisons were overcrowded, despite what he said was the denials over the years of some of his closest advisers.

“Overcrowding, violence, assaults, intimidation — these are the realities of a prison officers working life.

“Minister, I want to put you, your department, and indeed your government on notice that we, the Prison Officers’ Association, are more determined than ever and we are taking no more.

“You have the current figures for each prison at your disposal, but with projected figures suggesting that the total in custodial care is set to reach 6,000 in the not too distant future, it is essential that decisive action is taken.”

Mr Delaney said the entire prison system was on “life support” due to lack of funding, modernisation and overcrowding.

“Some people would say that the Prison Service today is only a learning ground for criminality and unfortunately there is some justification for such a negative view.

“All stakeholders must acknowledge the high level of repeat offenders in the criminal system. We must all wake up and smell the coffee and realise that all is not what it should be.”

Mr Delaney said the POA would be campaigning on five key issues: pay and conditions of members; the creation of a safe working environment; eradication of overcrowding; provision of spaces and facilities to deal with violent and disruptive prisoners and fair procedures for staff facing accusations.