Judge’s criticism of media focus on sentencing welcomed by penal reform group

The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) today welcomed and echoed the remarks made by retiring Judge David Riordan at his last sitting in Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Judge Riordan told the court: “I think it’s regrettable the energy that is expended by some sectors of the media and some social media when criticising some sentences is not more fruitfully applied to the more complex difficult work that has to be done in the area of rehabilitation and re-integration of discharged prisoners.”

He added: “I think most fair minded and reasonable members of society would prefer a greater emphasis on securing a safer society by helping such re-integration take place than by expressing swingeing views on retribution that really gets us nowhere.

“The ‘us and them’ paradigm of some media may sell newspapers but it doesn’t make society any safer and indeed it may engender social alienation.”

Fíona Ní Chinnéide, the IPRT’s acting executive director, told Irish Legal News that she welcomed the judge’s comments.

Ms Ní Chinnéide said: “People in prison come from and return to our communities – they are not a separate tribe. It is clearly in the public interest that reintegration is supported, and the media have a role to play in informing public debate on the challenges that people face on release from prison.

“Imprisonment has significant consequences for the individual, for his or her family, and their community. It breaks links with housing, employment, community health services, and family relationships. The onus is on the State to put these pieces back together again at the end of a prison sentence. Failure to do so only increases the likelihood of reoffending.

“Inter-agency co-operation between prisons, probation, health, mental health, housing and social welfare services is key to the safe and successful reintegration of people back into the community.

“A review of existing spent convictions legislation is also needed to reduce barriers to accessing employment, housing, education and insurance. The current spent convictions legislation is so limited that it fails to fulfil its rehabilitative purpose.”