Retail crimes: the real cost of repeat offenders. What needs to be done to put a price on shoplifting? Prime Time RTE

13th November 2026

Retail crime has a real and significant impact on shop owners and retail workers. It requires an effective and proportionate response. However, how is our current reliance on imprisonment working to reduce this type of reoffending? In 2025, 78% of people in prison had been in prison before. This raises important questions about the effectiveness of short prison sentences as a response to address a persistent cycle of repeat offending. 

Saoirse Brady’s contribution to this discussion on RTE's Prime Time explored these issues and why we need to look beyond imprisonment alone.

Watch the discussion here.