Willie Penrose
Question:33 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the strategy his Department has to reduce the amount of re-offending in the criminal justice system. [3059/99]
Written Answers. - Recidivism Rate.
I am, of course, fully committed to reducing the amount of reoffending in the criminal justice system. There are four divisions of my Department which are involved in this area, prisons division, crime division, courts division and probation and welfare service.
The prison side are involved with the setting up of work, training and education programmes whereby prisoners are encouraged to work and-or attend at the educational or training courses available. The work available covers a broad range of practical skills ranging from home economics to metalwork and woodwork. Education courses are chosen to give opportunities to those in prison to acquire knowledge and expertise which will help them secure employment on release from prison and so aid rehabilitation. These education courses range from basic literacy skills to Open University.
In addition, there are treatment programmes for drug offenders available in all prison institutions as part of the general medical services available to all inmates. Any offender who is willing to make a real effort to stop abusing drugs and who shows the necessary commitment and motivation will be supported by appropriate medical intervention and therapeutic counselling. The level of treatment available to drug addicted offenders is under ongoing review. Further improvements to the services are being planned for 1999.
With regard to sex offenders, there are two forms of therapeutic intervention available to sex offenders within the prison system. Both are aimed at enabling such offenders gain some measure of control over their offending behaviour. The first is individual counselling from the Department's clinical psychology service and from the probation and welfare service. The second is an intensive offence-focused group work programme which is available in Arbour Hill Prison. While all sex offenders can apply for inclusion in this programme, regardless of the institution in which they are imprisoned, not all are considered, suitable for the programme. Sex offenders are professionally assessed before being allowed on the programme.
My Department has also introduced a new programme for offenders called a Thinking Skills Course which commenced this year in Arbour Hill and Cork prisons. This course includes representatives of the education, psychology and probation and welfare services, along with prison officers who work together to form multi-disciplinary teams to deliver this programme. It has been shown that in other jurisdictions i.e. Canada and England, this programme can successfully help offenders avoid reoffending.
Furthermore, a successful alternative to violence project has operated since 1998. Over 500 participants have taken part in workshops in Mountjoy male and female prisons, Wheatfield and Limerick. In addition, voluntary bodies such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Samaritans, Anna Livia, Coolmine Therapeutic Community and the Merchant's Quay Project and others have significant involvement in the prisons in providing support for offenders with particular needs.
In relation to juvenile crime, my Department has recently announced a significant expansion in the number of Garda special projects which it funds. The projects are tangible crime prevention measures and are run in conjunction with youth organisations. The current network of projects are the subject of an evaluation being carried out by the children's research centre, Trinity College. Six new projects are being established in Dublin in – Donore Avenue, Hardwicke Street, O'Devaney Gardens, Ballybrack/Loughlinstown, Lower Ballyfermot and Ballymun – Bray, Tralee, Sligo and Waterford. The recent report of the National Crime Forum highlighted the need to invest in prevention particularly where juvenile crime was concerned. Since I took up office the number of projects has doubled from 12 to 24.
I have also received Government approval for the establishment of a drug courts planning committee to prepare plans for the establishment of a drug courts pilot project in the District Court in Dublin this year.
The development of a drug courts system on a pilot basis marks a major policy initiative in the criminal justice system and is designed as an alternative measure for dealing with the less serious and non-violent drug offenders. It is the beginning of a fundamental realignment of the response of the criminal justice system to those involved in less serious drug-related offences. In effect, drug courts afford persons in trouble with the law on foot of having committed minor or non-violent drug-related offences an opportunity to be treated under courts supervision as an alternative to the more usual penal sanctions which can be imposed. I look forward to assessing the results of the pilot project in due course and if the US experience – which shows that criminal activity for drug crimes decreases or is eliminated as a result of treatment – is repeated here, I believe that this initiative is likely to have a pro found effect over time on how we as a society deal with less serious drug-related crime.
The probation and welfare service also plays a significant role in fostering public safety and promoting the common good by advancing the recognition and use of community based sanctions, thereby reducing the level of reoffending. The main strategic objectives of the service are: the targeting of high risk offenders through assessment, challenging offending behaviour and making demands on offenders to recognise the damage caused to victims; the stimulating of young offenders from disadvantaged areas in particular to address life-style issues and augment their skills, so that they can realistically aim at training and employment opportunities and avoidance of reoffending; the provision of specialised projects in areas of disadvantage to enable these objectives to be achieved such as the North Clondalkin Probation Project, the West Tallaght Probation Project, Southill Outreach Project and Auto-Crime Project in Cork; working in liaison with others in criminal justice and front line agencies in achieving an integrated approach to the reduction of reoffending thereby promoting social inclusion; the provision of funding to groups working in association with the service to enable special projects to be developed; and implementing court orders – probation and community service which are effective supervision programmes requiring offenders on supervision to review their attitudes and outlook in life and to understand and accept their responsibilities.