Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 7 Dec 2000

Vol. 527 No. 5

Written Answers. - Criminological Research.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Ceist:

211 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the financial or other support given by his Department for criminological research; the third level institution or institutions in question; and the policy framework in this regard. [29114/00]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I have long recognised that the formulation of sound policies in the criminal justice and equality areas requires quality research founded upon a reliable statistical base. In 1997, my Department commissioned a research needs study to identify how it could develop its capacity for generating and utilising social research in these areas.

The policy planning research unit was sub sequently established in 1998. A sum of £327,000 was spent on research projects by the Department in 1998 and £384,000 in 1999. The research budget for 2000 is £400,000 in total. Projects relating directly to criminological research fully-funded by the unit are as follows:

Project Title	Name of Institution	Cost £
Public Perception of Crime in Ireland: Attitudes to Treatment of Offenders in the Community	Research and Evaluation Services	6,000
Study of HIV and Hepatitis B and C among the prisoner population	Trinity College, Dublin	52,125
General healthcare study of the prisoner population	National University of Ireland, Galway	144,207
Evaluation of Garda special projects in areas of social disadvantage	Trinity College, Dublin	39,455
Examination of the reporting of sexual offences	University College Cork/Cork Rape Crisis Centre	30,000
Research into children appearing before the Children's Court	Trinity College, Dublin	19,965
Study of learning disabilities among prisoners	Harrold, Mulrooney, Murphy	60,000 to date (77,000 expected total)
Review of existing Garda CCTV system	Irish Marketing Surveys	7,015
Participants in Garda youth diversion projects	Centre for Social and Educational Research	6,682 to date (22,000 expected total)
Effectiveness of treatment for sex offenders	University College, Dublin	35,000 to date (50,000 expected)
Development of delivery systems for new sex offenders treatment programme	Research Consultant	14,483 to date (52,455 expected total)
Evaluation of the operation of the community service order scheme	University of Limerick	25,996
Literacy research in Irish prisons	St. Patrick's College	25,000 expected

My Department has also part-funded a number of criminological research projects, as follows:

Project Title	Name of Institution	Cost £
Study on the availability, use and evaluation of the provision of crèche facilities in association with drug treatment and publication costs	Health Research Board	10,000
Bullying among prisoners	Trinity College, Dublin	9,337
Drug use among prisoners	Health Research Board	18,000
Cost towards conference: A stake in Civic Society – Preventing Offending	Irish Association for the Study of Delinquency	4,000
Cost towards Conference: The Legal Process and Victims of Rape	Trinity College, Dublin and the Rape Crisis Centre	4,000
Research into the incidence of sexual violence	Dublin Rape Crisis Centre	10,000
Public Perception of Crime in Ireland: Part 2	Research and Evaluation Services	8,000
Research into prostitutes' attitudes to the law on prostitution	Trinity College, Dublin	2,150

In addition, the Policy Planning Research Unit has provided part-funding to individuals for the following projects:

Project Title	Cost £
Research into risk predictors	875
Reader on Irish Criminal Justice	1,700 to date (10,000 expected total)
History of Mountjoy Prison	4,185
Assessment and evaluation of Garda training and development policies towards the reporting of rape and the policing of sexual violence	2,548 (grant-in-aid)
Research Fellowship salary costs (TCD)Related publication costs	23,3244,500 expected