28th June 2010
The matter of temporary release, and its place as a safety-valve for the Irish prison system, was again at issue this week.
Cormac O'Keeffe, writing in the Irish Examiner, quotes IPRT figures to show that 18% of the prison population are currently on temporary release - leaving the real prison population teetering around the 5,000 mark. The number of prisoners in custody (on sentence and on remand) stood at 4,317.
The article also reports the sentencing review called for by IPRT, and for an increased use in available community sanctions as a means of reducing the strain on the prison system.
Read the article in the Irish Examiner here.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.