Rise in assaults on officers and increase in prison violence 'of major concern'

Prison Officers Association president Tony Power said prison officers were being 'put at unnecessary risk on a daily basis'.

Prisons have seen a major spike in assaults and a 63% increase in staff injuries as they try to control escalating violence.

Assaults on prison officers have jumped by 46% between 2021 and 2022, according to Irish Prison Service figures.

Speaking at the Prison Officers Association (POA) Annual Delegate Conference in Galway on Thursday, general secretary Karl Dalton said the increase in violence “is of deep concern”.

“Of major concern is an increase in assaults on prison officers over the period (2021-2022) from 91 to 134 — an increase of some 46%," he said.

“Some of these assaults have been extremely serious and will have a lasting impact on those who were injured and their families. 

All workers should be able to attend the workplace with a reasonable expectation of not being threatened and/or assaulted, and this is not the case for many of our members in 2023."

Mr Dalton also highlighted a jump in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults, which have jumped by 131. 

“Despite the best efforts of prison officers on the ground, prisoner-on-prisoner assaults have increased dramatically from 249 to 380 over the period [2021-2022], an increase of some 52%.

“And this increase in prisoner violence has led to an increase in control and restraint-related injuries of prison officers as they try curtail the violence. 

"Injuries to staff have increased from 61 to 100 in the same period, an increase of some 63%, as they try to control the violence.

“These statistics speak for themselves, and unless the overcrowding and recruitment issues are resolved, these levels of violence will increase in all areas — and inevitably lead to serious injury and further fatalities.” 

POA president Tony Power said prison officers were being “put at unnecessary risk on a daily basis".

“This practice is as dangerous as it is unacceptable,” Mr Power said.

Since March 1, “the overcrowding crisis has worsened, drug use in our prisons is at unprecedented levels, recruitment is basically at a standstill and failure to implement agreed policies is resulting in less services for prisoners,” he added.

This combination is creating the perfect storm and as history repeats itself, assaults on staff are increasing as the tension levels in our prisons increases. And this, as we all know, will sooner or later lead to a major crisis in one or other of our prisons.

“Overcrowding provides the perfect atmosphere for the bully to thrive. It leads to huge pressure being put on vulnerable prisoners to traffic in contraband, including weapons and illegal drugs. Serious violence is very often part of the scenario here and we prison officers pay the inevitable price."

He called on Justice Minister Simon Harris to "take swift and decisive action on this most serious matter".

Mr Harris told the POA conference that some 620 additional prison spaces will be provided over the next five years through projects in Castlerea, Cloverhill, Midlands, and Mountjoy prisons.