Prison logjam brings system into disrepute

THE gardaí are overstretched fighting crime and bringing criminals before the courts.

The courts are jammed trying and sentencing criminals and taking them off the streets, but the prisons are refusing them entry and putting them back on the streets to reoffend. The gardaí are demoralised and the system of justice has been brought into disrepute. Criminals go free and victims are left without justice.

It is clear that most of the problems in the prisons are due to a lack of sufficient space. That has arisen for two reasons – a failure to provide the funds to proceed with a major prison construction programme and, in the meantime, a failure to modify the sentencing system which tends to exacerbate the accommodation problem at present.