Mountjoy Prison riot - Time to have proper rehab

THE riot at Mountjoy prison on Saturday — the most serious incident at the prison in more than a decade — was fortunately brought to a speedy conclusion without loss of life.

One prison officer was detained in hospital with serious facial and dental injuries, while four others were released after treatment, and two prisoners required medical attention.

The eruption was believed to have been the result of overcrowding and tension within the jail as a result of the introduction of an airport-type security system to combat the smuggling of drugs and mobile telephones into the prison.

There were suggestions for a long time that prison guards were turning a blind eye to drug smuggling as this facilitated a quieter life all round within the prison. There were also indications that some gangsters were running their activities from prison by mobile phone.

The efforts to end this intolerable situation deserve full support. The availability of drugs within the prison is now thought to have reached an all-time low.

Many inmates are believed to be drug addicts, so the prison authorities should implement a programme of rehabilitation by providing proper treatment to wean those prisoners from the illegal substances.