Prisons

A newly-opened equine centre at Castlerea Prison will allow prisoners to develop skills in horse husbandry for employment in the equine industry after their release. The "Horses of Hope" centre, the result of an innovative partnership between the Irish Prison Service and the horse racing industry, w

Northern Ireland’s High Court has rejected claims that a prisoner was wrongly refused permission to visit his mother in hospital, and then again to attend her funeral. The court found that the decision of the health trust had been a rational one, and although there had been confusion about the

Penal experts have given a cautious welcome to new European figures showing Ireland has a relatively low prison population rate compared to other European countries. The Council of Europe's annual penal statistics, known as SPACE I, show that Ireland had a prison population rate of 74.4 per 100,000

Mark Toland, the chief inspector of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate, has been appointed as the inspector of prisons on an interim basis. Mr Toland will temporarily fill the vacancy arising from the sudden resignation of Patricia Gilheaney as inspector with effect from last week.

The Northern Ireland Prison Service has set out its plans to remove most restrictions introduced in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including the reintroduction of in-person contact visits. The six-week "road to recovery" plan sets out what the prison service aims to have in place by Monday 4 Apr

Up to three people will be allowed to visit prisoners with effect from Monday, the Irish Prison Service has announced. Prison visits have been subject to various restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the prison service confirmed that up to three visitors – which may include two childr

The penal system has regressed over the last five years in key areas of practice, the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) has said. In its latest Progress in the Penal System (PIPS) report, IPRT measured progress in the penal system against international human rights standards and best practice, coverin

Vulnerable prisoners in Northern Ireland have been held in solitary confinement for long periods in breach of UN rules, a watchdog has said in a damning report. Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJINI) led an independent review into conditions in care and supervision units (CSUs) in Nort

Northern Ireland prisons will resume in-person visits from Monday, the Northern Ireland Prison Service has confirmed. Visits were suspended shortly after Christmas 2021 in response to the increased risk posed by the Omicron variant.

Scotland's High Court of Justiciary has refused an appeal against extradition by an Irish citizen who claimed he was at risk of having to “slop out” the chamber pot of his prison cell if he were returned to Ireland to serve a custodial sentence. It was argued by Kevin McGourty that there

Prison visits in Northern Ireland will be suspended from Monday 27 December in response to concern about the Omicron variant. The Northern Ireland Prison Service has announced a number of "cautionary steps" to protect prisons from the threat of Covid-19 over the Christmas period.

A charity supporting prisoners, former prisoners and their families has received a festive boost from Northern Ireland's prison and probation services. The Northern Ireland Prison Service and Probation Board NI have donated a sack of toys to the Prison Fellowship NI's Christmas Hope appeal.

Ireland is one of only 20 countries in the world where more than 80 per cent of prisoners had received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccination by the end of September 2021, according to a new report. The first-ever in-depth review of policies and practices related to Covid-19 vaccination in pris

A delayed review of care and supervision units (CSUs) operated by the Northern Ireland Prison Service will now be published next year, justice minister Naomi Long has said. Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJINI) was asked by Mrs Long in November 2020 to conduct a review following an in

A new law providing for transgender prisoners in California to be housed and searched in a manner consistent with their gender identity has been challenged as unconstitutional by an anti-trans campaign group.