Michael Clifford: Reports on the prison system deserve serious consideration

The chaplain’s report presents a picture of life in the prison as one in which basic human rights are flouted and any duty of care severely compromised,  writes Michael Clifford

The details of the 2019 report from the Dochas Centre make for some sobering reading.

The report of the chaplaincy service into what goes on behind prison walls provides a unique insight. Chaplains have the ear of prisoners. For the greater part chaplains are on-site in the prisons most of the time but are neither jailer nor the jailed.

They understand the difficult and often dangerous work undertaken by prison officers. But their calling ensures they retain room for compassion, even for those who have transgressed in a presumably serious manner against society.