From Punishment to Prevention: Report Launch
25th March 2026
From Punishment to Prevention: Poverty, Inequality and Pathways into the Irish Criminal Justice System.
The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) is pleased to invite you to the official launch of From Punishment to Prevention: Poverty, Inequality and Pathways into the Irish criminal justice system taking place on:
Event Details
Date: Wednesday, 25 March 2026
Time: 10:30 (Registration from 10:00)
Venue: Flux Studios, Chatham Row, Dublin 2
This report, externally commissioned by the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT), examines how poverty, inequality and community-level deprivation influence engagement with the criminal justice system in Ireland. The research was led by researcher Clare O’Connor, working with socially engaged artist Aaron Sunderland Carey and peer researcher Robert Cullen.
Drawing on mixed-methods research, including participatory research with people with lived experience, the report provides an updated evidence base on the intersection of socioeconomic disadvantage and contact with the criminal justice system in Ireland.
The report also explores justice reinvestment approaches, outlines relevant human rights obligations, and identifies evidence-led alternatives to imprisonment-focused responses, emphasising prevention and social investment.
The launch event will feature a small exhibition of artwork developed through the report’s community-based research, offering a visual lens on the experiences and insights of those involved.
The event will be chaired by Senator Lynn Ruane and will include contributions from expert speakers, followed by a panel discussion.
• Dr Sharon Lambert, Senior Lecturer, School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork
• Mr Justice Paul Kelly, President of the District Court
• Martin Quigley, Director of Data and Analytics, Pobal
Further speaker and programme details to follow.
Funding
The report was funded by Community Foundation Ireland.
