Inspector of Prisons: Annual Report 2012

3rd July 2013

The Inspector of Prisons’ Annual Report 2012 was published today.

The report details the activities of the Inspector for the year 2012. It highlights concerns in relation to the Dóchas Centre, Wheatfield and Castlerea prisons, all of which are subject to ongoing investigation and will be reported on in due course. The report also highlights some outstanding issues of concern in the prison system, including:

• A culture in some prisons of low level abuse of prisoners; shouting and using un-parliamentary language at prisoners; not attending to call bells; and indifference to reasonable queries or requests raised by prisoners.
• Approximately 25% of all prisoners are on protection; 23 hour lock-up seems to be the preferred option of prison management for the maintenance of safety to the exclusion of all other options.
• Disciplinary sanctions are totally out of line with accepted best international practice; ‘loss of privileges’ for 56 days is commonplace in Irish prisons, with many instances of 60 days punishment reported.

In relation to St. Patrick’s Institution, the Inspector conducted follow up visits in March of this year and again found very disturbing incidents of non-compliance with best practice and breaches of the fundamental rights of prisoners. He describes the conditions in which many of the prisoners are being kept and recommends the immediate closure of the institution. He further recommends that prisoners and staff be dispersed to other institutions and the name St. Patrick’s be consigned to history.

The full report can be read here. 

Read more:

• IPRT press release: ‘Closure of St Patrick’s must be met with necessary action at Oberstown and Wheatfield – IPRT’
• Dept of Justice press release: ‘Minister Shatter publishes Inspector of Prisons Annual Report; An Assessment of the Irish Prison System and announces plans for the future use of St Patrick’s Institution’
• A roundup of reactions to the report can be read here.