Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2015
414. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide, in tabular form, the number of prisoners temporarily released on the community support programme, by prison, and by year, from the years 2012 to 2014. [15653/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the information requested by the Deputy is as set out in the following table:
Total Releases on to the Community Support Scheme
|
Prison |
2013 |
2014 |
|
Mountjoy Prison |
38 |
110 |
|
Dochas Centre |
18 |
39 |
|
West Dublin Campus (Wheatfield Place of Detention and Cloverhill Prison |
0 |
62 |
|
Cork Prison |
55 |
115 |
|
Limerick Prison |
0 |
23 |
|
Total |
111 |
349 |
The Deputy should note that the scheme was not in operation in 2012.
The initial scheme was set up in Cork in 2013. It was expanded to Mountjoy Campus later on that year. The West Dublin Campus commenced in mid 2014 and expanded to Limerick Prison in late 2014.
Community Support Schemes have been set up to address the recidivism levels of those serving sentences of under 12 months from those catchment areas. The Community Support Scheme groups comprise of a number of prison based personnel, representing the discipline grades and therapeutic services, staff from the Irish Prison Service/Probation Service co-located unit as well as Community Support Workers based in the community.
The groups engage with prisoners shortly after committal and seek to identify risk factors, make appropriate referrals and prepare a sentence management plan in each case. The primary aim of these Schemes is to reduce the current recidivism rates by arranging for additional support structures and provide for a more structured form of temporary release.
These Schemes focus on working with short term sentenced prisoners - helping with issues such as housing, medical care, substance abuse, training needs, etc. The aim is to increase support to prisoners - prior to their release from prison, upon their release and then for a period after their release in order to help break the cycle of reoffending.
