Statement: Senator Bacik Calls for Sentencing Reform

STATEMENT BY SENATOR IVANA BACIK

Senator for Dublin UniversityPanel
Tuesday, 22nd June 2010

BACIK CALLS FOR SENTENCING REFORM

Speaking in the Seanad today, Senator Ivana Bacik expressed strong concern at reports that the number of prisoners in Ireland has exceeded 5,000 for the first time in the history of the State, with nearly 1,000 of those on temporary release.

Calling for an urgent debate on reform of sentencing practice, and on overcrowding in prisons, Senator Bacik said:

“There is clear evidence of over-use of imprisonment in our sentencing practice. Rather than sentencing individuals to short periods in prison for minor non-violent offences, only to see them released within one or two days due to overcrowding, we should be undertaking radical reform. Many of those being sentenced to prison for such offences should instead receive community service orders or suspended sentences. More emphasis should be placed on meaningful rehabilitation. The reality is that for most prisoners, prison has no rehabilitative effect, particularly with such chronic overcrowding in our prisons.

“We are dehumanising and brutalising the populations in our prisons by subjecting them to the inhumane conditions caused by chronic overcrowding. Clearly we need an urgent debate on prisons; not just on reform of conditions in prisons, but on why we are sending so many people to prison for minor non-violent offences.”

ENDS