Integration‘70 times cheaper’ than prison

An integration project says their programme for released inmates costs 70 times less than keeping them detained in prisons.

The Irish Association for the Social Integration of Offenders (IASIO) said that it found work or training for more than 9,000 ex-prisoners over the last 12 years.

Chairman Patrick Lynch said its annual cost per client was €1,152, compared to an average annual cost per prisoner of €80,000.

He said the value of their work, funded by the prisons and probation services, was a “no brainer” and urged Justice Minister Alan Shatter to fight within the Cabinet to maintain their funding.

Speaking at the launch of its 2012 annual report — the first one for IASIO — Mr Lynch said that 10,195 placements were made over the last 12 years in the three programmes now managed by the association.

He said some of these placements involved the same individual who might have been given a second or third chance to turn their life around.

Of the placements, 3,192 were in full time employment and 945 in part-time employment. A further 3,404 were in training programmes, while 1,470 were in full-time education and 860 in part-time education.

Mr Lynch said 1,966 people were dealt with in 2012 and 1,132 were placed in education or work.

IASIO was formed in Apr 2012, incorporating three programmes — Linkage, GATE, and Resettlement Programme — formerly managed by Business in Community Ireland.

The group’s chief executive, Paddy Richardson, said the community return scheme — a structured early release programme for prisoners — was very successful: with 91% of participants completing it in 2012. He said that of the 122 so far this year, only four had breached their conditions. He praised Mr Shatter for the programme as well as his Spent Convictions Bill, which would erase convictions of many less serious offenders.

Launching the report, Mr Shatter commended the work of IASIO and their success in placing so many prisoners in either employment or training and education.

Prison Service director general, Michael Donnellan, said 70% of people coming into prisons were unemployed and 50% never had an occupation “They don’t even know what it is and 50% have no qualifications; they left school without the most basic qualifications.”