Written Answers - Learning Disabilities.
Dan Neville
Question:
428
Mr. Neville
asked the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
the publication date of the survey of the level of learning disability (mental handicap) among the prison population completed in August 1999; and the Government's views on this report.
[5272/03]
I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question, No. 171, of 17 October 2002, from Deputy John Deasy, in which I undertook to arrange for copies of the report mentioned to be placed in the Oireachtas Library. I also gave an assurance that the Irish Prison Service would publish the report on the service's web-site.
Copies of the report were forwarded to the Oireachtas Library on 17 October 2002. I am informed, however, that the Irish Prison Service has not yet been able to publish the document on its web-site, as they are attempting to resolve, with the report's authors, an apparent pagination error. I understand that the report will be available on the Prison Service's web-site as soon as the matter is resolved.
I can inform the Deputy that, as indicated in my reply to Deputy Deasy's question, there are strong reservations about interpreting the main finding of the study as suggesting that over 28% of the prisoner population in the country have a mental handicap. Any such suggestion is strongly disputed by people who work with prisoners in a professional capacity on a daily basis and there is a reasonable basis for argument that this unexpectedly high figure could be accounted for by measurement of factors attributable to educational deficit and social disadvantage, rather than learning disabilityper se.The authors of the report recommended that a number of priority steps be taken in relation to prisoners with learning disability. These recommendations fall into three main categories: (i) psychological assessment of prisoners identified as having a learning disability, (ii) provision of training for personnel on needs and supports for people with learning disability and (iii) development of appropriate educational programmes in prisons designed to address the needs and learning characteristics of prisoners with learning disability.
The Director General of the Irish Prison Service has indicated that these recommendations are being considered by the service in the context of the care and rehabilitation services for prisoners.
I am also informed by the Director General that, at present, the routine medical, probation and education assessments at committal result in prisoners with learning disability coming to notice early in their time in custody. Such prisoners are provided with a range of supports appropriate to their circumstances, including, as required, referral for psychological assessment and special arrangements within education units and workshops.
Such prisoners may also be referred to the prison psychology service for assistance in coming to terms with and coping with their incarceration and in addressing their needs around dealing with their offending behaviour. As necessary, on a case by case basis, the psychology service, in conjunction with the probation and welfare service, makes contact with community-based services in supporting the reintegration of offenders back into the community. This would include voluntary and statutory services working within the learning difficulties sector.
The prison education service, which involves a partnership between the Irish Prison Service and a range of educational agencies including the vocational education committees, provides a broad programme of education for prisoners following an adult education approach. Education units are in operation in all prisons and places of detention with the exception of Cloverhill Prison where the arrangements for education are not yet complete.
At over 50%, participation in education in Irish prisons is high by international standards and there is substantial flexibility in education delivery, with significant provision for one-to-one teaching which is particularly relevant to prisoners with learning disability. Under the programme for Government, there will be particular emphasis on tackling illiteracy and lack of educational accomplishment among prisoners and, in this regard, work is ongoing in the Irish Prison Service in relation to the following key targets in the educational area, as set forth in the Prison Service strategy statement: maintain the prisoner participation rate in education at 50% against the background of increases in the prisoner population and review the education curriculum to ensure its continuing relevance to prisoner needs.
The prison education service has recently prepared "Guidelines for Quality Literacy Work in Prisons". In addition, a study of literacy among prisoners, which was undertaken by the education department of St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra, at the request of the Irish Prison Service, has recently been finalised and is in the course of being evaluated. Action in relation to literacy work with prisoners will be informed by both these publications.
