Prisons ‘need radical change’

A former prison chief believes a “radical” look at the system is needed after he revealed 152 people were jailed last year for the non-payment of a TV licence.

John Tobin, who was in charge on the day of the 2008 Mountjoy prison riots, reckons that community service should be used more for lesser offences.

“It costs €65,000 to keep one individual in custody so I believe a radical look has to be taken in relation to sending people to prison. We send more people to prison per capita than anywhere else in the world.”