Overview
A critical analysis of the history, function and internal workings of the Irish prison system.The huge expansion of the number of prison places, the recent decision to appoint a Prisons Authority, the constantly expanding number of prisoners with all the attendant costs, have taken place without serious consideration of the broader issues. Does prison work? What is the international experience? Is the vast amount of money well spent?
Prison Policy in Ireland examines the history of prison policy in Ireland, examining in particular the gap between officially stated policy and the actual situation. As well as describing in detail how the Irish prison system works, it compares Irish model of the use of prison with the international experience. The pamphlet also assesses the function of the prison system, and examines who goes to prison and why. It challenges some of the assumptions on which our prison policy is based and questions the claimed link between prison numbers and crime. The author goes on to examine the role of the various components of the prison system and questions the extent to which they determine policy. It also looks at possible alternatives to present policy.
About the Author:
Dr Paul O’Mahony is a lecturer in Psychology and Research Methods in the School of Occupational Therapy, Trinity College, Dublin. He is the author of Crime and Punishment in Ireland (1993), Criminal Chaos: Seven Crises in Irish Criminal Justice (1996) and Mountjoy Prisoners: A Sociological and Criminological Profile (1997)