Telephones for prisoners? Let’s do it if it stops them re-offending

THE topic of dwelling circumstances in trendy prisons is one thing that may begin many arguments.

On the face of it, life doesn’t appear that dangerous on the within. For most of the inmates, dwelling circumstances in jail are an enchancment on what they might be used to on the skin.

They’ve a roof over their heads, common meal instances, recreation, and entry to schooling and well being care so they’re nicely cared for. They’re on this nation, at any price, however they is likely to be even higher off in different jurisdictions.

RTÉ reported that the Irish Council for Prisoners Abroad (ICPO) referred to as for a well-resourced, clear, honest and expeditious repatriation system to permit prisoners overseas serve the rest of their sentences in Eire.

It’s estimated that, at anybody time, there are as much as 1,200 Irish individuals in jail abroad in about 30 international locations all over the world.

I didn’t know that, and neither did I do know {that a} important majority of these are in prisons within the UK, with comparatively excessive numbers within the USA, Australia and all through Europe.

These prisoners can apply to switch to an Irish jail to serve the rest of their sentence right here, however plainly lots of them are glad sufficient to remain the place they’re.

The ICPO circulated 1,100 questionnaires to Irish prisoners overseas and acquired solely 114 nameless responses. That’s simply over 10%, which suggests there wasn’t a lot curiosity within the survey, or else the prisoners don’t need to transfer.

Serving time can’t be straightforward although, whether or not it’s dwelling or away, and a few of those that did reply reported experiencing psychological well being difficulties, emotions of isolation and having little time exterior their cell. The dearth of visits was additionally a difficulty, which isn’t stunning.

I’d count on prisoners to really feel remoted and to have a difficulty with being confined in a small house with little time exterior. That’s what jail is all about.

It’s additionally comprehensible that abroad prisoners is likely to be affected by lack of visits. If you find yourself in an Australian jail, the household gained’t be popping over each weekend with a meals parcel.

Until you’ve a big circle of pals dwelling in that nation, visits are going to be few and much between, and that’s robust, however so it needs to be.

There must be a component of discomfort related to jail life. It’s, in spite of everything, alleged to be a deterrent, so I used to be shocked once I heard that inmates in some prisons right here have been going to have analogue telephones put in of their cells.

I assumed it was a step too far, however in line with an article within the Irish Examiner, it has already occurred.

Landline telephones have been put in in 804 jail cells, and work is underway to increase the comfort to each inmate within the State.

4 of the nation’s 12 detention amenities now have an analogue phone in each cell, that means inmates in Castlerea, Cloverhill, Limerick and Midlands prisons could make telephone calls with out leaving their rooms.

The acquisition and set up of the gear has value a complete of €1,131,688 thus far, and it’s meant to offer ‘in-cell telephony’ for prisoners in Cork, Portlaoise, Wheatfield, and the Dóchas Centre by the tip of this 12 months.

The system at the moment permits outgoing calls solely, though a spokesman for the Irish Jail Service (IPS) mentioned a ‘dial-in’ system could also be thought-about in future.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee mentioned sustaining contact with household and pals whereas in custody performs an essential position within the rehabilitation of prisoners.

“The in-cell telephony mission will improve the jail service’s means to offer prisoners with a platform to help this contact,” she mentioned.

They’ve performed the identical factor within the UK, the place they are saying household ties are a significant a part of rehabilitation and sustaining these ties can minimize re-offending by 40%, finally serving to to scale back the variety of future victims of crime.

We’ll have to attend and see how that works out.

Prisoners have already got contact with their households via in-person visits and, throughout Covid 19, video calls have been launched, which many prisoners most popular as a result of they received to see extra relations that manner than they might in individual. It additionally saved their guests from having to journey and from the safety checks obligatory within the jail system.

Prisoners are entitled to be handled humanely, however some argue that the jail system is simply too accommodating. A lot of their victims need to see offenders undergo. They need payback and would like to see them locked up, ate up bread and water, and the important thing thrown away.

Others would welcome a return to the times of onerous labour. Again to the chain gangs, the place prisoners needed to lay railway tracks or break rocks like Paul Newman did within the film, Cool Hand Luke.

Whatever the circumstances although, it’s the lack of freedom that checks prisoners most. Not with the ability to spend time with the household at Christmas, go for a pint, stroll the canine or go to a soccer recreation are the issues that problem them. That’s the actual punishment.

And that’s OK too. Jail isn’t meant to be a vacation camp.

Offenders are incarcerated as a punishment for the wrongs they’ve performed, however the system can also be meant to rehabilitate them. To arrange them for reintegration to society on completion of their sentence. However is it working?

The excessive proportion of inmates re-offending, and the demand for extra jail house, would appear to counsel there’s a weak spot within the system.

If having a telephone in a cell can change that final result and assist to interrupt the cycle of life for inmates, then possibly it’s price a shot.

If it really works, we’ll all profit, so possibly it’s not such a foul factor in spite of everything.