30% of St Pat’s inmates on protection and locked up for over 20 hours a day

Almost one third of young offenders in St Patrick’s Institution are “on protection” and most of those are locked up for more than 20 hours a day for their own safety.

St Pat’s has the highest percentage of inmates on protection compared to any other prison. Also, in comparison with other Irish prisons, St Pat’s has almost twice the number of prisoners confined to their cells virtually all day.

The figures, provided to the Irish Examiner, give another insight into the scale of violence in St Pat’s, the country’s jail for male offenders aged 17-21.