Ombudsman for Children calls for change in treatment of young offenders

Niall Muldoon, the Ombudsman for Children, has visited the Oberstown Detention Campus in the wake of the industrial action there and feels that it “has raised some real questions about considering alternatives to detention, so that children and young people receive services sooner rather than later.”

Writing in The Independent, Mr Muldoon has also expressed concern that insufficient regard has been paid to the rights of children. He said: “I have visited Oberstown on a number of occasions and have seen the striking physical redesign which is going on there, but it appears we are now reaching the crossroads for the cultural redesign of the campus.

“We can look at the incidents that took place during the recent industrial action at Oberstown and see it as proof that all of these young people are violent offenders who deserve no compassion, who should be locked up and treated like prisoners. Or we can decide to redouble our efforts to ensure that every young person who enters the centre can expect respect, dignity and an opportunity to change their offending behaviour. That is an approach we have tried, but never managed to sustain in Ireland.”

He added: “We must remember that Oberstown is a place where young people are not only deprived of their liberty but are also given the opportunity to try and change, and to consider a new way of life. And no matter what else is happening, these goals and objectives must remain front and centre. I visited Oberstown last week after the strike and I spoke with a number of residents.

“The knock-on effect of the incidents on the roof that night meant that the young people were confined to their rooms from 9.30pm on Sunday night until after midday on Tuesday – much longer than the planned eight hours stoppage from 8am to 4pm. This is not acceptable.”