“…it’s like stepping on a land-mine” Post-release integration of prisoners in Ireland

1. “…it’s like stepping on a land-mine” Post-release integration of prisoners in Ireland Agnieszka Martynowicz Irish Penal Reform Trust July 2010

2. METHODOLOGY • review of literature; legislation; policy and practice • interviews with statutory agencies • interviews with voluntary sector providers • focus groups with former prisoners • practice based - looking at service provision not at theory of desistance/reintegration/integration

3. BACKGROUND • historically under-developed focus on prisons • criminal justice and social policies separated from prison policy • rapidly increasing prison population and number of committals • penal expansionism (new prison places) BUT • no additional resources to meet increasing needs • overcrowding • unsafe prisons

4. BACKGROUND • Some prisons with 80% of prisoners addicted to drugs/alcohol • High prevalence of mental health difficulties (27% of sentenced men and 60% of sentenced women with mental illness) and dual diagnosis • Homelessness • Up to 25% ‘on protection’ every day • 80% on sentences less than 12 months (over 60% under 6 months) • 50% re-committal rate within 4 years

5. FINDINGS • Some progressive ‘pilot’ and more permanent initiatives: • Diversion project in Cloverhill Prison (Dublin) • Community organisations providing homeless assistance on remand/statutory organisations on sentence • Increased provision of drug counselling in prisons • Development of new initiatives (mentoring) and continuing success of existing programmes (The GATE/Linkage) • Integrated Sentence Management appears to be working well where introduced • Funding provided by the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service increasing the capacity of community-based projects • Legislative and practical initiatives aiming to address the increase in prison population: fines; community service orders. 5

6. FINDINGS • A system which struggles to engage with the vast majority of prisoners • ‘Post-code lottery’ in relation to what is available in the prisons and outside • Little or no information provided to prisoners and/or their families regarding services available in custody or upon release • Focus of resources on long-term and ‘high risk’ prisoners (ISM; Probation managing ‘risk’) • Resources not adequate to needs • Funding concerns re: longer term sustainability 6

7. FINDINGS • Use of Temporary Release as a safety valve for overcrowded prisons • Short notice of release and releases at weekends • Limited linking with community support before release • ‘communication chaos’ leading to vital support being lost or not provided • Effects: most recently two cases of prisoners with mental health difficulties granted TR with no support reported in the press - one in Cork Prison and one in the Dóchas Centre in Dublin • Lack of a statutory duty to co-operate can hinder any efforts made before release (homelessness an example) • Lack of more general awareness regarding the reality of prison life

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