Vol. 489 No. 3
241 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the action, if any, taken by the Department to stop juveniles being sentenced to serve time in adult prisons; if so, when this action will be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8111/98]
At present, for the purpose of the administration of the prisons and places of detention, a juvenile is any person who is less than 21 years of age. Accordingly, juveniles may be committed by the courts as follows: males aged 16 to 21 years to St. Patrick's Institution; males aged 17 years and over to Mountjoy, Limerick or Cork Prisons; females aged 17 years and over to Mountjoy or Limerick Prisons.
In addition, in accordance with the Children's Act, 1908, males aged 15 and females aged 15 and 16 years may be committed to Mountjoy or Limerick Prisons and males aged 15 may be committed to Cork Prison.
The Children Bill, 1996, which is at present before this House, deals primarily with juvenile justice matters. The Bill proposes to abolish the provision of the Children Act, 1908, under which children who are certified by the court to be unruly or depraved can be sentenced to imprisonment. It also proposes that children under 16 years of age who are sentenced to detention can only be detained in a children's detention school, responsibility for which will lie with the Minister for Education and Science.
In addition the Bill provides that 16 and 17 year old children who are sentenced to imprisonment will be detained separately from older detainees and prisoners in places of detention provided by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
242 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners under 21 years held in custody in penal institutions; the date to which these figures relate; the length of sentence of persons under 21 years in custody (details supplied) at particular dates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8112/98]
The number of prisoners aged 21 years and younger in custody on 15 Janaury 1998 in penal institutions under the control of my Department is set out in the following table. Records are not maintained following in a fashion, however, which would allow the rest of the information sought by the Deputy to be furnished in the time available. I will write to the Deputy, at a later date, when the information requested in relation to the length of sentences has been compiled.
|
Persons under 21 years in custody |
Date - 15 January 1998 |
|||||||
|
Ages |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
Total |
|
1. Mountjoy Prison |
0 |
0 |
9 |
13 |
28 |
30 |
65 |
145 |
|
2. St. Patrick's Institution |
0 |
32 |
41 |
45 |
40 |
22 |
18 |
198 |
|
3. Arbour Hill |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
11 |
|
4. Training Unit |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
7 |
13 |
|
5. Shanganagh Castle |
0 |
4 |
15 |
9 |
8 |
8 |
0 |
44 |
|
6. Shelton Abbey |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
10 |
|
7. Cork Prison |
0 |
1 |
11 |
15 |
17 |
17 |
23 |
84 |
|
8. Portlaoise Prison |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
|
9. Limerick Prison |
2 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
7 |
10 |
7 |
32 |
|
10. Loughan House |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
5 |
13 |
|
11. Fort Mitchel |
0 |
8 |
16 |
20 |
11 |
9 |
5 |
69 |
|
12. Wheatfield Place of Detention |
0 |
1 |
8 |
14 |
27 |
27 |
30 |
107 |
|
13. Castlerea |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
14. Curragh |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
2 |
46 |
104 |
119 |
148 |
140 |
171 |
730 |
