Violence in prisons falls as policies take effect

The number of assaults by prisoners on prison officers last year averaged almost two per week.

Figures released by acting Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald show that 91 assaults, 1.75 per week, in 62 incidents were perpetrated by prisoners on prison officers last year.

The total represents a 37% reduction on the 144 prisoner-on-prison-officer assaults recorded for 2014; and a 41% reduction on the 154 assaults that took place in 2013.

In a written Dáil reply to Fianna Fáil TD Jack Chambers TD, Ms Fitzgerald also confirmed that, to date this year, under the new reporting system that came into force for last year, a total of seven prisoner-on-prison-officer assaults have been recorded, and this compared to 31 assaults recorded for the same period last year. In her reply, Ms Fitzgerald said that, in 2014, 47 claims were lodged with the State Claims Agency (SCA) by prison staff, and a total of €977,717 was paid out, and this compares to €816,441 arising from 48 claims in 2013.

The amount paid out includes, but is not restricted to, compensation paid over assaults by prisoners.

President of the Irish Prison Officers’ Association, Stephen Delaney, pointed to a case last year where a prisoner carried out a “vicious” facial attack on two prisoners who were bringing the inmate breakfast.

A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service (IPS) said yesterday: “While the statistical data points to a reduction in the instances of violence across the system, this is also supported by management and staff in our prisons who have advised that a noticeable reduction in violent incidents has been seen on the ground.”

He said this can be attributed to several factors:

• Reduction in prisoner numbers, where there has been a decrease of approximately 20% in the number of prisoners in custody;
• Enhanced security measures such as hand-held metal detectors, netting over prison yards, body orifice scanning chairs, and security screening machines to detect weapons and prevent them from entering the prison;
• New prisoner programmes such as the Incentivised Regimes Policy, which provides for a differentiation of privileges between prisoners according to their level of engagement with services and quality of behaviour;
• Prisoner/staff-led programmes. The Irish Prison Service has attempted to roll out the peer-led Red Cross Programme across prisons, and has seen a number of violence-reducing initiatives such as the identification of safe zones in certain areas, such as schools and workshops, and the introduction of weapons amnesties.

The IPS spokesman said: “While the reduction in violence is welcomed, it is acknowledged that in 2015 there were a number of very serious unprovoked attacks on prison staff which resulted in very serious injury to staff members.”

The serious assaults in 2015 related to five officers. The IPS spokesman said it has introduced a number of other initiatives in the aftermath of the serious incidents that occurred in 2015.

These include enhanced protective equipment including stab vests which have been made available for appropriate escorts, and sanction from Department of Public Expenditure to increase the amount of sick leave at full pay that can be granted to officers who have suffered a serious physical injury while on duty from six months to 12 months.

The final report of the SCA is expected in May 2016.