social policy thesis

Christina Gibney

13333206

Department of Social Policy (SP301)

“The Modernization of the Irish Prison Service – Exploring the

Correct Measure for Adequate Prisoner Rehabilitation”

Project Supervisor: Tonye Olatunde

ii

Christina Gibney 13333206

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SOCIAL POLICY

Acknowledgments Completing this dissertation has been a challenging but rewarding experience. I would like to extend

my appreciation to my project supervisor Dr. Tonye Olatunde. Through her expertise this project was

successfully completed. This project would not have been fruitful without her ongoing support and

assistance. I would like to thank Dr. Adam Smith who assisted me at the early stages of the project. A

thank you to all my lecturers in the Social Science department who assisted me in any way throughout

my dissertation.

I would also like to thank all my friends and family for their ongoing assistance. My family and friend’s

loyalty and support has been greatly appreciated.

Last but not lease I would like to take this opportunity to thank my particpant who took part in my

project. Without his support I would not have had a completed questionnaire from the Irish Prison

Service.

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Table of Contents Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................... ii

1.1 Rationale and Research Question .............................................................................................. 1

1.2 Aims and Objectives of the Research .................................................................................... 1

1.2.1 Aim ........................................................................................................................................ 1

1.2.2 Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 1

1.3 Layout of Following Chapters ............................................................................................... 2

2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 3

2.2 The formation of rehabilitation in Ireland ........................................................................... 3

2.2.1 18th century Imprisonment ................................................................................................. 3

2.2.3 19th century Imprisonment .................................................................................................. 5

2.2.4 20th century Imprisonment .................................................................................................. 5

2.3 The biggest problem in contemporary society Irish Prisons – Overcrowded prisons ...... 6

2.4 Educating prisoner’s ............................................................................................................... 7

2.5 The Probation Service – Enhancing Offender Rehabilitation ............................................ 8

2.6 Integrated Sentence Management ......................................................................................... 9

2.7 ‘Giving up Crime Method’ ................................................................................................... 10

2.8 Critiques Perspective on prison rehabilitation ................................................................... 10

2.9 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 11

3.1 Introduction and Research Question .................................................................................. 12

3.2 Research Methodologies ....................................................................................................... 12

3.3 Documentary Analysis .......................................................................................................... 12

3.4 Short Questionnaire .............................................................................................................. 13

3.5 Study sample .......................................................................................................................... 13

3.6 Recruitment ........................................................................................................................... 14

3.7 Data Collection Methods ...................................................................................................... 14

3.8 Limitations ............................................................................................................................. 14

3.9 Research Ethics ..................................................................................................................... 15

3.9.1 Plagiarism ........................................................................................................................... 15

3.9.2 Codes of ethical practice relating to intellectual ownership ........................................... 15

3.9.3 Ethical research in practice and the problems of ‘inside’ research .............................. 15

3.9.4 Publishing findings ............................................................................................................. 15

3.9.5 No harm to participant ...................................................................................................... 15

4.0 Methodological Limitations ................................................................................................. 16

4.1 Reflection on research experience ....................................................................................... 16

5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 17

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5.2 Increasing Re-offending numbers ....................................................................................... 17

5.3 Overcrowded Irish Prisons .................................................................................................. 18

5.4 Availability of ISM to Selected Offenders Only ................................................................. 19

5.5 “Giving up Crime – An Inspiring Method” : Dutch Prisons ............................................ 20

5.6 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 23

Chapter 5. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 24

Bibliography ......................................................................................................................................... 26

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Chapter 1. Introduction

1.1 Rationale and Research Question

The primary aim of this research project was to explore the extent to which the Irish Prison

Service have contributed to successful rehabilisation of prisoner’s in recent years. This research

project aims to explore the care and rehabilitation unit within the Irish prison service to analyse

the optimal programmes for rehabilitation. Prisoner care and rehabilitation is a core aim of the

Irish Prison Service (Irish Prison Service 2012). The issue with Irish prisons is that it is seen

as a place to keep burglars off the street. According to The Irish Times, Minister for Justice,

Fitzgerald would lock up re-offending burglars for longer periods of time … her public

commitment “to keep burglars off the street” is popular with those people who see prisons as

places of punishment, rather than rehabilitation (2015). However, this should not be the

resolution. It will not reduce crime (The Irish Times 2015).

This research question explored the extent to which the Irish Prison Service and its associates

have acknowleged this issue. It discovered possible policies and management plans that are

currently in action in Irish prisons.

1.2 Aims and Objectives of the Research

1.2.1 Aim

The primary aim of this research project was to identify if the Irish Prison Service have

commited to the goal of the Irish prison service as outlined above.

1.2.2 Objectives

To accomplish an achievable research project three main objectives were explored. The first

objective was to unravell the prison history of reform. This objective gave a clear understanding

of the change in defining imprisonment and punishment. However, even though it has been a

beneficial change today’s prison service is not giving one hundred percent commitment.

The second objective was to discover the current programmes and policies in Irish prisons.

Discovering Irish policies and programmes were an important objective to unfold. It gave a

deeper understanding of the Irish context It forumalted a framework to follow and it created

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awarness of gaps in the current programmes and policies. Through researching existing

literature on prison programmes and policies that are currently in place identified the specific

documents that is in relation to prisoner rehabilitation.

The third objective is based on an international context. Through researching literature outside

of the Irish context information was gathered on two other EU countries. Their specific method

used to prepare prisoners for release was explored. This was an important research section as

it concluded whether the Irish prison service should look into other methods of preparing

prisoner’s for release into society.

1.3 Layout of Following Chapters

The literature review will be a detailed review of the empirical literature that is available in

relation to the current chosen topic on prison rehabilitation. The literature review will include

a review of prison history since the 18th century up to the 21st century based on a conceptual

framework.. It will discuss policy and mamangment plans that are currently in the Irish prison

service. In an international context the literature review will discuss another European countries

prison rehabilisation method. Lastly, it will give a discussion on critiques perspective on prison

rehabilisation.

Chapter three is the methodology section. The methodology consists of a discussion on the data

collection methods and preperation used for current research project. It outlines the

methodologies used, the study sample, recruitment of the study sample and finally it discussed

the ethical considerations.

The fourth chapter is the findings. The findings chapter is a discussion of what was gathered

from the data colletion. It is supported by references from the literature review in chapter two.

It highlights the contribution of this specific project to the current issue and hopefully add to

the research that has been done on the topic. Recommendations aimed at the Irish prison service

have been given in this section. The recommendations are based on what was gathered from

the findings. Lastly it gave the author an opportunity to refect on the research project

experience.

Lastly, chapter five is the conclusion of the research project. This consists of a brief reflection

on the research project concluding the main points.

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Chapter 2. Literature Review

2.1 Introduction

Rehabilitation is a vital method of correction in prisons. Rehabilitation was a central feature of

corrections in the first half of the twentieth century (Huebner 2009). It is a method of

preparation of prisoners for a crime free release from prison. According to Huebner (2009), the

favourability of rehabilitation programming declined in the 1970’s and 1980’s but has regained

favour in recent years. This chapter is a review of existing literature on the modernization of

the Irish prison system with a purpose of preparing prisoners for their release from prison. It

begins with an exploration of the history of prison reform to give an understanding of the

framework for the topic in a wider context. It explores the numerous methods that the Irish

prison service have considered or have already implemented for the optimal method of

correction. This chapter concludes with current policies and management strategies in an

international context that are present in prisons. Despite this, the research question to be

explored is which of these management and planning are optimal for prisoner rehabilitation?

Is the purpose of incarceration to punish wrongdoing, or to protect society from dangerous

individuals? Is it to reform those who stray beyond the bounds of acceptable behaviour? (Snow

2015).

To this current day and age, a debate on how to define the correct punishment for prisoners is

an ongoing disagreement. There are literature that answer these questions regarding how

prisons are defined from the 18th century up until the 21st century. From gathering literature, it

is quite clear that prisons today are seen as a method of reforming the human mind than in the

18th and 19th century. There has been significant reform of punishment in prisons since the 18th

century.

2.2 The formation of rehabilitation in Ireland

2.2.1 18th century Imprisonment

In order to understand how prison reform has changed, it is important to understand how far

the prison service has come in terms of modernisation. Therefore this section will discuss

prison reform which will help to identify to what extent prisons are fulfilling a duty of

rehabilitation. It will discuss vital prison regimes and policies that exist today (that were not

around in the 18th and 19th century) to reduce recidivism and re-offending.

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In the 18th century, prisons were under-developed and known as a dumping ground for the poor

who were awaiting trial or transportation. The demand to reform the prisons grew throughout

the 18th century (Thomson 2016). Prison reformer John Howard came to Ireland the following

decade. He was appalled by the prisons in Ireland. He noted that corruption was rife amongst

the public institutions and many were “totally inattentive” of the gaols. He said that he had

never seen prisons or abuses worse than those in Ireland (Thomson 2016). Many gaols were

effectively dungeons, privately-run dumping grounds for the manorial and debtors courts

(Thomson 2016). Transportation was an alternative punishment to hanging, convicted

criminals were transported to the colonies to serve their prison sentence … it had the

advantages of removing the criminal from society (E2BN (2006). This idea of removing

criminals from society marks the difference between the 18th century prisons and todays

modernization of prison services that are aimed to reform prisoners for re-entry into society

and thus, meet the needs of the community. Transportation ended with the close of the

Revolutionary War.

The drive to improve the prison service in the 18th century was marked by the 1786 Regulation

of Prisons Bill. The bill established a prison inspector who would be appointed by the Grand

Jury. Prisons should be inspected at least once every two years and budgets were to be agreed

to feed the prisoners and maintain the prisons (Scottish Publisher DC Thomson 1965). Ireland’s

prisons finally became under state control in the Irish Prisons Act 1826 with the setting up of

the Prisons Boards (Scottish Publisher DC Thomson 1965). After the end of transportation as

a method of punishment, Ireland was left with a new popular punishment called the houses of

correction also known as Bridewells prison. This type of prison was developed with a more

positive attitude than that of removing criminals from society, instead if a prisoner was sent to

Bridewells, this gave them the chance to repay their debts as debtors rather than being called

criminals. However there was of course a punishment for criminals who conducted crimes such

as prostitution, theft or disorderly behaviour. This punishment was known as hard labour. Hard

labour was a sentence of time to a work house where inmates performed manual labour all day,

every day (Wilson and Ridner, 2003). It was during this time that an English philosopher and

social reformer Jeremy Bentham advocated for prison improvements. Bentham supported strict

treatment for prisoners but safe and sanitary conditions. Bentham also advocated humane

treatment for prisoners and a move away from corporal or capital punishments (Wilson and

Ridner, 2003).

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The Age of Enlightenment followed after Bentham’s avocations. The 18th century’s Age of

Enlightenment played the most significant role in prison reform … it was a time when people

began to value reason and rationality (Wilson and Ridner, 2003). The Enlightenment was the

best thing that could have happened to criminals. They were no longer thought to be

fundamentally flawed but widely thought to be capable of correction and rehabilitation (Wilson

and Ridner, 2003). It was after this era that prisons became under strict regulation with a new

view of reforming the soul of criminals rather than the punishment of the body. The first prison,

operating under this new system, opened in Pennsylvania in 1789 on the site of an older jail

(Wilson and Ridner, 2003).


The 19th century marked the beginning of Bentham’s panopticon prison, also known as the

solitary system which was adopted in Pennsylvania and the Eastern State Penitentiary in

Philadelphia (Wilson and Ridner, 2003). The panopticon meant that the power was in the

guard’s possession, that all cells were visible from a central guard system. This nature of power

within society can be illustrated by Foucault. He wrote that power “reaches into the very grain

of individuals, touches their bodies and inserts itself into their actions and attitudes, their

discourses, learning processes and everyday lives” (Foucault 1980,30). Foucault did not see

this notion of power relations as a negative for society. For him, power was a producer of

reality: “It produces domains of objects and rituals of truth” (Foucault 1977, 194). In other

words, power can be seen as a positive impact upon how humans should behave in society. So

it is through the panopticon that power relations structures prisoner’s behaviours that will be

accepted and beneficial for society as a whole, prior to their release from prison.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the purpose of the prison time shifted slightly to include

deterrence, the goal was still to rehabilitate offenders and return them to society, but also to

prevent criminal acts and reoffending (Wilson and Ridner, 2003)


The 20th century marked an important era for prison reform. The prison reform movement

began in the late 19th century and continued throughout the 20th century. This reform movement

aimed to end the torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners (Wilson and Ridner, 2003). The

conflicting struggle that reformers come in contact with is the question of how to punish

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criminals while protecting their humanity; how to protect the public while also allowing

prisoners to re-enter society after their sentences end and how to satisfy crime victims' desire

for justice and revenge while also giving convicts a second chance to live freely and abide by

the law (Cengage Learning 2016).

The beginning of the prison reform movement highlights the difficulties and conflicts regarding

the value of imprisonment, it was the mark of a new, more beneficial experience for criminals.

Torture and inhumane treatment were subsided with prison facilitates and services that

improved their chances of successful rehabilitation. In American society, prisons have multiple

functions. Incarceration is regarded as a punishment for criminal offenders, taking away their

liberty and their ability to control their own lives, such punishment is said to give crime victims,

their families, and society a sense of retribution, or justice … secondly, locking up criminals

also serves to protect the public.

However, throughout history many criminal justice experts have viewed incarceration as an

opportunity to provide counselling and training to offenders so that they can be reformed or

changed for the better and rehabilitated, or prepared for a return to normal life (Cengage

Learning 2016). The reform movement has since been supported by various governmental

organisations to protect criminal’s humanity, by equipping the prison system with services to

educate and reform prisoners towards more positive working aspirations which will meet the

modern needs of the community after their release.

2.3 The biggest problem in contemporary society Irish Prisons – Overcrowded

prisons

Existing literature on Irish prisons conclude that one of the largest problematic issues the face

Irish prisons is overcrowding. Overcrowding is a major implication for the management and

effectiveness of prisoner preparation and sentence planning. This is because overcrowding of

prisons result in shorter sentences.

The United Nation (UN) has strongly criticised Ireland’s prison service. In a strong statement

the UN cited the “chronic” overcrowding and the “inhuman “practice of slopping out (The

Journal 2014). The UN criticised Ireland’s prisons for the lack of acknowledgment to the poor

resources and accommodation for prisoners. The United Nations Human Rights Committee

said Ireland is overusing prison as a punishment, noting that last year the vast majority of

prisoners – 89% - were serving sentences of less than 12 months (The Journal 2014).

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According to a Report on Justice, Defence and Equality 2013, in light of the recommendations,

an emphasis is strongly portrayed that any offender sentenced to six months or less is likely to

be released after two or three weeks due to overcrowding, making sentence planning very

difficult (Oireachtas 2013). This makes it very difficult to educate prisoners and create plans

for accommodation and employment after their release.

2.4 Educating prisoner’s

The method of incarceration that is illustrated above during the 18th and 19th century have

significantly changed. Literature behind rehabilitation theory suggests that the means used to

achieve reform in prisons have varied over time, beginning with silence, isolation, labor, and

punishment then moving onto medically based interventions including drugs … more recently,

educational, vocational, and psychologically based programmes (Campbell 2010: 831). These

programmes have been put forward typically to reform prisoners during their sentence.

However a short sentence makes it almost impossible for prison officers to perform these tasks.

The power relations that were present in the panopticon were the prisoners mind, behaviours

and actions were deliberately controlled by the prison service have transformed to modernised

power structures such as the power of the education system in preparing prisoners for release.

According to Warner power can be seen in contemporary society through the reformation and

rehabilitation of prisoners. Warner was the Education Coordinator in the Irish prison system

for nearly 30 years until 2009 (Warner 2014). An example of the shift in prisoner reform can

be illustrated by Warner.

In a study conducted by Warner ‘From scumbag to student’: The power of prison education

(2014) it concluded that the structure of power is not seen in light of a panopticon based model

in prisons, it is in fact seen in the modernised prison services that are intended to reform the

soul. Michael* completed his Leaving Certificate while serving a four-year drugs-related

sentence in a Dublin prison (Warner 2014). Participating in education in the prisons service

‘got the ball rolling’ for Michael*. Fortunately Michael* now has a master’s degree. However

this does not count for all prisoners. Michael* was fortunate to have four years to be educated.

Prisoners who are sentenced to shorter sentences for example six months have a very slight

chance of being chosen to be considered for education.

In line with this issue, Warner argues; relative to the overall cost of the prison system, education

is minor really, but it has been cut disproportionately in recent years in relation to other

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activities (Warner 2014). All prisoner’s right to education are not being fully met. According

to Citizens Information (2014), prisoners have a right to education whilst in prison. In contrast

the study conducted by Warner argues the cuts have affected the rights of prisoners. This effects

prisoner’s opportunities of seeking employment prior to their release from prison. It is a vicious

cycle that lacks attention. If prisoners are being locked up, with little or no chances of being

educated and up-skilled during their sentence, the chances of reoffending increases. Warner

concludes on a statement; you’ve spent all this money to lock them up in a destructive

environment, if they’re ready for something like Open University it should be there for them

(2014).

2.5 The Probation Service – Enhancing Offender Rehabilitation

The Probation Service’ goal is to contribute to creating safer communities and fewer victims

through offender rehabilitation (Irish Probation Service 2014). In 2014, €10.7 million of the

Probation Service’ overall budget was allocated to fund a range of Community Based

Organisations (CBOs) (Irish Probation Service 2014). This was in the hope that these

community based organisations would provide an adequate service that would provide skills

and knowledge to enhance prisoners’ opportunities of seeking employment after their release.

Amongst the services that are provided is education. However a major problem regarding

insufficient education opportunities is that the length of imprisonment is an average length in

the EU is 8 months (Nelissen and Schreurs 2016). Therefore this may be an ineffective and

costly way of preparing prisoners for their release.

The Probation Service, on behalf of the Department of Justice, manages offenders ordered to

perform Community Service in lieu of a custodial sentence. The work undertaken on

Community Service is for the benefit of the community and covers a wide range of activities

such as graffiti removal, litter picking, landscaping etc. (Irish Probation Service 2014). One

particular community service team and a community service supervisor worked in

Knockmitten Community Centre and Garden in summer 2013. The work in this centre

included refurbishing the entire centre from inside-out. The work continued into the year of

2014. Knockmitten Community Centre has received more funding to allow prisoners to

continue to refurbish the centre. The Community Service are regularly involved with this

centre and will again provide an input to the new garden area in 2015 (Irish Probation Service

2014).

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The work done in Knockmitten centre has been highly rewarding to the Centre, but most

importantly it gave prisoners an opportunity to get back involved in the community to prepare

them with a positive mind prior to their release into society. Community service allows the

participant to give something back to their local community as a means for making up for their

offending behaviour (Irish Probation Service 2014).

2.6 Integrated Sentence Management

Integrated Sentence Management (ISM) was introduced into Irish prisons in 2008. Integrated

Sentence Management is a procedure of reviewing of prisoners progress in behaviour and

education that is completed by the prison service. It is aimed to motivate prisoners to

participate in the prison services to prepare them with skills and knowledge prior their release

from prison. It not only should benefit the reintegration of the prisoner but possibly benefit the

safety of the community. As a part of ISM, prisoners take a greater personal responsibility for

their own development through active engagement with services in the prisons, ISM involves

initial assessment, goal setting and periodic review to measure progress (Irish Prison Service

2012). However taking into consideration Warner (2014) arguing the disgraceful educational

cuts in Irish prison services, are Irish prisons wasting more money on procedures such as ISM

if the number of prisoners having an opportunity to participate in prison services are

decreasing?

In 2011 Shatter, the Minister for Justice and Equality, commented that since the

commencement of the pilot in the summer of 2008, approximately 2,200 prisoners have been

offered participation in ISM and approximately 1,700 were participating at the end of May

2011 (Handelaar 2011). The small number of prisoners who are considered for ISM highlights

ISM as an inadequate means of motivating prisoners to participate in educating and activities

as it only caters for a small proportion of prisoners. The full range of services are available to

all prisoners, although prisoners on shorter sentences may not be able to complete the full

range of course-work and programmes … staff working in prisons have a wealth of experience

in tailoring programmes to suit both short term and long term prisoners. He also said that the

Probation Service has an active role in helping prisoners to maintain links with family and

community agencies, encouraging prisoners to address their offending behaviour and engaging

prisoners in individual counselling programmes such as offending behaviour, addiction,

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violence and sex offending (Handelaar 2011). This literature concluded that this commitment

is lacking and failing to equally serve the prison population.

2.7 ‘Giving up Crime Method’

Preparing inmates for release from prison can be a difficult task for prison officers. Major

challenges to prison systems throughout Europe is to prepare prisoners for release (Nelissen

and Schreurs 2016). However, according to Nelissen and Schreurs, a successful way to prepare

prisoner’s for release is through the Giving up Crime method. The Giving up Crime was

founded and published in the Netherlands by Nelissen and Schreurs in 2008 who had concerns

for the rehabilitation of prisoner’s after release. Nelissen and Schreurs argues that the problems

that obstruct the progress being made in this area of successful rehabilitation are multiple …

besides the lack of resources, a major problem is the fact that the length of imprisonment

(average length in EU comprises 8 months) is often too short to even initiate a process of

adequate preparation for release and resettlement (2016).

Giving up crime is based on a theoretical book that is aimed to speed up the onset and further

development of this natural process of desistance (Nelissen and Schreurs 2016). The book is

provided to the prisoner which aims to prepare detainees for release by supporting them with

self-directed learning and self-motivation. The method refers to a rehabilitation theory or

framework model that is explicitly based on the dynamics of motivational self-regulation in

offenders’ pathways into and out of crime (Nelissen and Schreurs 2016).

Giving up crime argue that our current prison system do not stimulate prisoner’s self-

determination sufficiently (Nelissen and Schreurs 2016). Therefore the founders of Giving up

crime have developed this rehabilitation programme to encourage supported self-determination

and responsibilities to prisoners during and after their sentence that will prepare them with

adequate social and human capital during their release into society.

2.8 Critiques Perspective on prison rehabilitation

Abolitionist literature notes that prisons at best do nothing to reform offenders and at worst plat

a central role in reproducing crime (Campbell 2010). Critiques argue that prisons are an

institution that constrains distinctive power relations and intimidate prisoners. From a radical

point of view, rehabilitation is seen as an attempt by those in power to impose a repressive

system of social control over vulnerable individuals (Campbell 2010). The correctional system

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is viewed as a method to gain social control with an emphasis on power rather than a primary

aim of reformation. Correctional institutions strip inmates of all of their familiar social and

cultural supports around which their personal identity had previously been centred (Campbell

2010). One critique who rejected the possibility of rehabilitation is Rothman (1973). He

rejected rehabilitation because of the relative powerlessness of the prisoner to give or withhold

consent to such efforts and because of the incongruous nature of the environment within which

it is offered (Campbell 2010).

2.9 Conclusion Existing literature that was reviewed in this section suggests that the Irish prison system has

drastically changed since the 18th century of inhumane punishment. The 20th century marked

an important era in prison modernization. Inhumane torture ended and a rehabilitation service

took over. However there is still problems today in the Irish prison service that are affecting

prisoners opportunities to be educated and skilled for their release into society. This section

reviewed existing literature focusing on the fundamental problems in contemporary prisons

that affects the rehabilitation of prisoners.

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Chapter 3. Methodology

3.1 Introduction and Research Question

The methodology is a critical element of attempting to answer a research question. The

methodology helps to identify adequate data collection methods in order to unfold a particular

research question. The methodology chapter discusses the preparation for the findings. A

description on the data collection methods that were used are discussed. Followed by the ethical

considerations that were taken into account during the data collection.

Through researching the prison service in Ireland in line with an international context, the

question that was formulated is to;

Explore the extent that the Irish prison service have committed to successful prisoner

rehabilitation.

The analytical perspective of this project is rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is the primary concept

that the project is continuously drawn back to.

3.2 Research Methodologies

Identifying the best option of methods for data collection can be tougher than it seems.

According to O’Leary (2004: 163) there are many issues and complexities associated with any

particular method of data collection … collecting credible data is a tough task.

The research methodologies that were used to answer this research question were mixed

methods. A documentary analysis and a short questionnaire were carried out. Using the correct

methodologies may increase the opportunities of optimal findings. Therefore identifying

methods that may increase the chances of optimal findings is an important consideration during

the preparation for collecting data.

3.3 Documentary Analysis

According to O’Leary (2014:250) documentary analysis is “the collection, review,

interrogation and analysis of various forms of written text as a primary source of research data”.

The second method of data collection was a documentary analysis. A documentary analysis is

again, an easier means of accessing secondary source information. Using second source

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information will save me valuable time considering the time restrains that associate with this

project deadline and documentary analysis as a method of data collection is more cost effective

than other means of data collection. According to Mogalakwe (2006) although social surveys,

in-depth interviews and participant observation have been tried and tested, they are not the only

ones available nor are they always useful. MOGALAKWE (2006) argues that documentary

analysis are just as good, and sometimes even more cost effective than social surveys, in-depth

interviews or participant observation.

With the literature review on prison reform and prison policies and strategies, it is important

that they are followed up on and evaluated for their effectiveness. A documentary analysis was

carried out on a successful Dutch programme that is currently mandatory in all Dutch prisons.

The aim of this analysis was to discover if this programme is successful enough to be

implemented in Irish prisons.

Briefly the questions that I hope to address through the documentary analysis are;

What is the current state of the Irish prison service?

To explore ISM in terms of preparing prisoners for release

What alternative method of rehabilitation can Irish prisons use?

3.4 Short Questionnaire

A short questionnaire was completed by the education service in Shelton Abbey Prison which

is a service provided within the care and rehabilitation unit of Irish prisons. The purpose of the

questionnaire was to identify what policies are most important in modernised prison services

that facilitate prisoner’s in helping them to gain benefits from prison, to reform the soul rather

than punish the body. This questionnaire questioned the education service; what the objectives

are. Is it to get prisoners back into the community with education and learning skills that will

increase their chances of seeking employment?

3.5 Study sample

The main source of data collection was the internet. Particularly the Irish Prison Service

website was useful for locating annual reports, policies. However, the short questionnaire was

a bit more time consuming and difficult to get consent. The questionnaire was sent via email

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to Shelton Abbey Prison in co. Wicklow. It was delivered to the education officer of the prison.

An email was also sent to the Netherlands to seek information about the current prison

programme that is mandatory in all Dutch prisons.

3.6 Recruitment

Through contacts in Shelton Abbey, I received a phone number for a colleague in the education

department. Through a phone call, I introduced myself and the study that is undergoing. The

man agreed to be sent the questionnaire via email, attached with a consent form to outline the

objectives of the research.

3.7 Data Collection Methods

There is no ‘better’ method of data collection rather the aim is to employ the right method(s)

which will provide the most comprehensive answer to the research question (O’Leary,

2004:150). Choosing the correct methods of data collection may increase optimal data. The

data collection methods that were chosen for this research project was a documentary analysis

and a short education questionnaire.

3.8 Limitations

One limitation encountered within this project is the inability to conduct interviews.

Considering the strict time constrain to write up the dissertation interviews would not have

been successfully carried out. This is because they are time consuming. Interviews would have

been a beneficial data collection method as they would give in-depth detailed answers.

However, documentary analysis suits my topic well as it is based on policy and programme

reviewing.

The second limiation confronted with during this project is due to restricted ciscumstances the

questionnaire was sent very early without clear indications of the project rationale. Therefore

it is a general questionnaire without consistent relivant answers. However some questions are

relivant to the project.

Lastly a limiation regarding the valitity of the project was confronted with. The valitity of the

questionnaire concludes that it is not generalizable. Due to the restricted time to carry out the

project the questionnaire was only completed by one person.

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3.9 Research Ethics

Research ethics is about being clear about the nature of the agreement you have entered into

with your research subjects or contacts (Bell 2005). However, doing a documentary analysis

involves no ethical considerations. Throughout the duration of putting together this research

project there are a number of guidelines that needed to be taken into consideration to make

ethical decisions regarding other forms of data collection. They are discussed below.

3.9.1 Plagiarism

Plagiarism refers to an unethical decision to copy work that is not your own and to portray it

as your work. This can include copying work from articles, newspapers, television shows,

books, journals, reports and any other medium. As a researcher it is obliged to ensure that the

project does not contain plagiarism. To protect the project referencing was used to copy another

person’s work. The referencing that was used is the Harvard Referencing System.

3.9.2 Codes of ethical practice relating to intellectual ownership

It is quite customary in scientific and technological departments for supervisors’ names to

appear on joint papers (Bell 2005). This research project will be supervised by the department

of social science, it is an ethical consideration to ensure that I obey to the department supporting

and sponsoring the work. The name of the supervisor will be included to appear on the paper

as the sponsor of the project.

3.9.3 Ethical research in practice and the problems of ‘inside’ research

According to Bells, regardless of the requirements of your institution and of your supervisor,

this will still be your research … you will need to satisfy yourself that you have done everything

possible to ensure that your research is conducted in a away which complies with your own

ethical principles (2005). It is an ethical consideration that considering the fieldwork methods

that I have chosen, that as a researcher, I am satisfied that the information I gather from various

organisations are appropriate to use as a source. If any research that is gathered needs to be

vetted by the ethics committee for any organisation, this must be completed.

3.9.4 Publishing findings

If I wish to publish the findings from the project, I must ensure that permission is sought from

the institution and/or organisations which information was took from.

3.9.5 No harm to participant

To ensure there was no harm done to the participant that completed the questionnaire, as a

researcher it is an obligation to ensure that all information that contains any personal identity

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was stored on a locked laptop. This is to ensure that nobody is exposed to any personal

identification without consent.

4.0 Methodological Limitations

There were a number of limitations regarding the topic of this research. As it is a difficult topic

to research, being in the category of prisons, prisoners are deemed as vulnerable groups to

interview which decreases my chances of gathering primary source data. This lowered the

chances of getting to do interviews in Shelton Abbey prison even though there was contacts to

the prison. There was only so much information that could be received from the prison.

There was also a limitation on data and statistics that has been published by prisons on

prisoner’s achievements and afterlife. This is because a lot of prisoner’s do not want anything

to do with prison after their release and therefore they do not give any feedback on how they

are doing now.

Some of the questions that were on the questionnaire got a ‘no data’ or a ‘no answer’ comment.

This is because there are boundaries that the prison services adhere to and will not cross if the

information is unsuitable to the public or cannot be published.

4.1 Reflection on research experience

This project was an exciting but challenging experience. Considering the limited time to carry

out this research project that resulted in it being a challenging experience. I chose the Irish

Prison Rehabilitation Service as my topic because there has been an increase in emphasis on

successful rehabilitation as a primary goal of the Irish Prison Service so I wanted to get a deeper

understanding of how the Irish Prison Service commits to this. I also wanted to use this

dissertation as an opportunity to prompt further research on rehabilitation in comparison to

other EU methods of optimal preparation for prisoners.

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Chapter 4. Findings

5.1 Introduction

Chapter four is the findings from the research project. This section is a discussion of what was

gathered from the data collection as outlined in the previous chapter. The findings section is

supported by a conceptual framework in order to present the findings appropriately. The

analytical perspective that the data collection was based on is rehabilitation.

The primary documents used are ‘A Strategic Review of Penal Policy’ completed by the

Review Group in 2014. This is used to discuss the negativity of the current prison system.

Secondly ‘Implimentation and Impact of The Method Giving Up Crime’ by Nelissen and

Scheurs in 2008 and lastly the S.M.A.R.T Program (Stress Management and Rehabiliation

Training). This section includes related literature from chapter two to support the findings and

recommendations alongside brief support from the completed questionnaire. The fundamental

aim of carrying out the findings was to explore the extent to which the current prison

rehabilitation programme, ISM is sufficient to all Irish prisoners. This chapter discusses the

findings that were gathered on the defects of the current prison state and the shortcomings of

the current Irish ISM program.

It also highlights the significance of the recommendations found through an international based

documentary analysis on a document on Giving up Crime from the Netherlands and a document

on S.M.A.R.T from America. The Irish prison service and its associates should consider the

recommendations as a means of improving prisoner rehabilitation in Ireland considering these

means of rehabiliation are successful in these countries. An international comparison will

recommend the possible changes for imposing sufficent Irish rehabiliation.

5.2 Increasing Re-offending numbers

According to the Review Group (2014) reducing reoffending behaviour has been identified as

a key goal of the criminal justice and penal system. To ensure that reoffending rates remain

minimal the rehabilitation and support for prisoners must be accommodated. The Central

Statistics Office (CSO) played a vital role in establishing the extent to which the rehabilitation

service are adequate in Ireland. According to the CSO (2015) individuals who were released

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from the custody of the Irish prison service in 2009 reoffended within the first three years of

their release. In 2009, some 7,507 individuals were released from the custody of the Irish

prison service … of these, 3,563 (47.5%) re-offended within a three-year period (CSO 2015).

The underlying cause of these increasing re-offending rates are because of a lack of educational

opportunities within the prison service. As mentioned in chapter 2 according to Citizens

Information (2014), prisoners have a right to education whilst in prison. However in contrast,

the questionnaire that was completed as part of data collection concluded that education in the

prison service is not compulsory.

“What percentages of offenders are availing of the education service today? Roughly 50% of

the prisoner population avail of education on a daily basis. Attendance in not compulsory”

This is an inadequate percentage of the prison population. Attendance should be compulsory.

There is a need for fairness within the Irish prison service. The answer to the number of

prisoners availing of education is 50% of the population is because of overcrowding. The prison

service cannot afford to provide education to all prisoners due to the high prison population.

Relative to the overall cost of the prison system, education is minor really, but it has been cut

disproportionately in recent years in relation to other activities (Warner 2014). The cuts to the

education system have signifcanctly affected the opportunities to the other half of the

population.

5.3 Overcrowded Irish Prisons

The underlying cause of these high re-offending rates are inadequate and provide insufficient

services and management programmes to all prisoners. If we take for example the Integrated

Sentence Management. As discussed in the literature review ISM is aimed to motivate

prisoners to participate in the prison services to prepare them with skills and knowledge prior

their release from prison. The Review Group however are concerned with the negative impact

of overcrowding on the provision of programmes (The Review Group 2014). This statement is

in conjunction with the literature in chapter two on overcrowding as a major implication for

the management and effectiveness of prisoner preparation for release in Irish prisons. It

interfers with the time management needed for preperation of offender performance prior to

their release into society.

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‘Would you classify the Irish prison education system as well developed in relation to a

European prison edication perspective? Why? – Yes, well-resourced with a highly motivated

teaching cohort’

Thus increasing the percentage of re-offending within three years prior to release. According

to Lally the latest data for 2014 reveals committals have increased, with 15,049 recorded in the

first 11 months of the year (2015). This high number of committals reflects the lack of resources

and time to prepare offenders. It signifantly affects the availability of officers to assist offenders

with planning for accomodation and employment opportunities before their release back into

the community. In comparison, according to Lally the statistic of 2014 compares to 14,857

committals to prison in the Republic from Januart to November in 2013 (2015).

The United Nations Human Rights Committee said Ireland is overusing prison as a punishment,

noting that last year the vast majority of prisoners – 89% - were serving sentences of less than

12 months (The Journal 2014). The overcrowded prisons has results in shorter prison sentences

and release with no support from the prison. This increases re-offending rates.

5.4 Availability of ISM to Selected Offenders Only

As discussed in the literature review ISM is a procedure of reviewing prisoners progression of

their level of dedication in actively engaging in the prison services. It aims to motivate prisoners

to participate in activites and education in preparation for their release. However from the

documentary anaylsis a conclusion was formulated that the ISM does not avail for all offenders.

It generally applies to prisoners sentenced to 12 months or more (Review Group 2014). The

Review Group are concerned with the inconsistent availability of the ISM across the prisons

estate. This is another underlying reason that the ISM is failing to support and rehabilitate

prisoners. ISM is not mandatory to all prisoners. There was general agreement among the

participants of the prisoner focus groups that sentence management and progressive sentence

planning were positive but not all participants had full knowledge of ISM with some having no

experience of a sentence plan, however there was a willingness to participate in ISM but also

a view that is should be more consistently applied (Review Group 2014). During prison visits

as part of the Review by the Review Group, members of the Group were impressed with the

quality of programmes and services available to prisoners although there is concern at the

extent to which they are available to some prisoners in some prisons (The Review Group 2014).

As we can see with relation to the literature review the shortcoming of the high re-offending

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rates illustrated by the CSO are results of the unavailability of services to all prisoners. In 2011

The Minster for Justice and Equality, Shatter commented that since summer 2008

approximately 2,200 prisoners have been offered participation in ISM and approximately 1,700

were participating at the end of May 2011 (Handelaar 2011). Through this analysis it is

concluded that this does not count for every prisoner as 1,700 participants is a relatively small

number in conjunction with the Irish prison population of 17,318 in 2011 (Annual Prison

Report 2011).

5.5 “Giving up Crime – An Inspiring Method” : Dutch Prisons

From analsing ISM above we can see that the ISM model of motivating prisoners to particpate

in education and activities in prison may not be the best means of prepering prisoners for

rehabilitation. In summary the Irish prison service are faced with 1) overcrowding issues 2) a

lack of availaility of ISM to all prisoners 3) prison education cuts. As a result of overcrowding

prison sentences are short which interfers with the time needed to be educated and skilled. It is

a vicious cycle which needs more attention. The next section is an analsis of a successful

program that was founded in the Netherlands. The aim of this section is to create an awarness

of international models of rehabiliation which from anaylsing the Irish prison system we may

need to consider.

“Our current prison system does not stimulate prisoners’ self-determination sufficiently”

(Nelissen 2016).

One possible program that has a high chance of being successful in Ireland is the Giving up

Crime method. Giving up Crime is an innovative book based on a theoretically framework that

enhances self-determination and self-change. Considering the educational cuts as highlighted

by Warner alongside the critiques of overcrowded prisons and a lack of availability of ISM,

the Giving up Crime method provides prisoners with a workbook that wil educate themselves

without the need of resources or teachers. It will also facilitate offenders after they are released

from prison which will keep offenders behaviour and actions at bay.

‘What is the number of teachers employed in the year 2015? 220’

If the Irish system introduced Giving up Crime the high number of teachers 220, could be

signifcantly reduced saving money whilst still increasing prisoner preperation and

rehabiliation. According to Nelissen (2016) Givng up Crime is a cost-efficent workbook that

enhances self determination. As Giving up Crime is based on a workbook cohort of teaching it

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can prepare prisoners without the need of teachers. This also free’s up officers time and results

in a less stressed working force.

Giving up crime is a very successful programme that was introduced in the Netherlands by

Nelissen and Schreurs in 2008. It was that successful that it was introduced into all Dutch

prisons. It is effectively running to this day in all Dutch prisons. Nelissen and Schreurs had

concerns for the rehabilitation of prisoners. Nelissen and Schreurs argues that the problems that

obstruct the progress being made in this area of successful rehabilitation are multiple (2016).

Similarly in Ireland, there is major concerns regarding the rehabilitation of Irish prisoners. The

fundamental goal of this documentary analysis on this program is to create an awareness of

such a successful programme that is used to rehabilitate and support prisoners both during and

after release from prison. If the Irish prison service considered this recommendation to be

launched into Irish prisons it may be a huge benefit to the increasing recidivism rates.

The Giving up Crime method was so successful that it was implemented in all Dutch prisons

as part of the Modernization Programme launched by the Dutch Custodial Institution Agency

in 2008 (Nelissen and Schreurs 2016). Unlike ISM in Ireland as an optional means to prepare

prisoners for rehabilitation, Giving up Crime is based on a mandatory model. All prisoners in

Dutch prisons have no option but to engage with the Giving up Crime workbook. A second

critique is that the Giving up Crime method does not rely on the prison officers to plan the

prisoner’s future life and to take responsibility. A major assumption of the method of Giving

up Crime is that we can ameliorate the cost of this practice by viewing the prisoner him- of

herself as the major agent or owner of his change process … the method enables the prisoner

to take responsibility for his current and future life, starting from day one of his imprisonment

(Nelissen and Schreurs 2016).

How to implement Giving up Crime into Irish Prisons

According to Nelissen if you are interested in the implementation of the workbook Givng up

Crime in your country, these are the steps to take (Nelissen 2016).

1. Identify members of your organization who are open for innovative approaches and

committed to ameliorate urgent problesm such as the lack of proper programme of

purposeful and constructive regime activities for (remand) prisoners, lack of staff

training, problems related to overcrowding, lack of education and pre-release activites

2. Involve them in the implementation process of the method

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3. Invite them for an information meeting about the method and discuss how it can be

implemented and what staff members and prison officers can gain from this method

4. Start on a small scale with a pilot group in a few prisons, with a group of motivated

prison officers (or other pilot personnel) and detainees. Create spaces outside the cell

were small groups of prisoners and prison personnel can work with the moethod

5. One member of the supervising staff should take the role of coordinator and solve

problmes if necessary

6. Evaluate the experiences throughout the process

(Nelissen 2016).

As mentioned in the literature reivew major challenges to prison systems throughout Europe is

to prepare prisoners for release (Nelissen and Schreurs 2016). It is important that the Irish

prisons service acknowledge alternative means of preparing prisonsers. Therefore the

following table is an overview of the possible benefits of introducing Giving up Crime into

Ireland. The benefits are both for the prisoner’s increased satisfaction of rehabiliation success

and prison officers work satisfaction. The following table is a summary highlighting the main

advantages of introducing Giving up Crime in Ireland. An analysis of the current Irish prison

system and ISM that was discussed above is used to conclude the significance between Giving

up Crime and our current system.

Advantages of

implementing Giving up

Crime in Ireland

Comments/Reccomendation

Cost efficient Save expensives on paying staff and training i.e. cuts down on the 220

staff employed in Irish prisons in 2015 as no teachers are needed as it is

self-learning.

Mandatory workbook ISM in Ireland is not mandatory. This mandatory workbook increases

prisoner engagement instantly with no choice

Increased relationship

between prisoner and

personnel

Increases prisoner satisfaction and thus, increasing motivation for

participating with rehabilation preperation

Easy to implement Easy for Irish prison services to introduced Giving up Crime to increase

rehabiliation

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Enhances work satisfaction

of prison officers

More cooperative work force in the prison goal of successful

rehabilitation

Supports detainees before

and after release

This would decrease the three year reoffending rate that is a problem in

Ireland

Increased willingness to

change

Through preperation for high risk situations and developing practical

skills which increases the chances of successful rehabilation

Reduces criminal

motivation

Creating a safer environment

Short sentences are not a

problem

The workbook remains in detainees posession after their release to

continue with their learning

Figure 1. Advantages of introducing Giving up Crime in Ireland

5.6 Conclusion This section presents the key findings from this research project. It is closely linked with

chapter two to support the data collection with proven existing literature. The primary aim of

this research project was to explore the rehabilitation in Irish prisons. Within this the objectives

were to explore the modernization of the prison service and to identify the problems that prisons

are currently being faced with that are affecting the rehabilitation of prisoners. The study also

explored other programmes that are currently in place in additional EU countries. The findings

concluded that the Irish prison service is failing to prepare all prisoners equally for release into

society. As a solution, keeping in mind the problems in Irish prisons the findings recommended

a very successful Dutch program. The founder of the program highly encourages this program

to be implemented into other EU countries. The literature review was very useful in identifying

the problems in Irish prisons which was used to work closely with a possible international

program that would counteract these problems. The result was Giving up Crime – a Dutch

program.

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Chapter 5. Conclusion This dissertation has discussed the issue regarding prisoner rehabilitation in Ireland. As

discussed in the literature review inadequate prisoner rehabilitation is an increasing issue due

to multiple factors. The literature review has identified the current issues that the Irish prison

service are facing today. The findings chapter has discussed possible recommendations

regarding increasing prisoner satisfaction alongside increasing prison officers work

satisfaction. In order for the current system to work at its optimal ability it is important to

consider promising resolutions that are successful for other EU countries. The contribution of

this research project on the current system was to engage our prison system with additional EU

countries. This may influence the Government and the prison service Governors to further this

issue. The ISM model has been successful in preparing and motivating prisoners. However

considering the issues that the current prison system are faced with in particular overcrowding,

availability of ISM to selected prisoners only and cuts to the education service, there needs to

be more attention to considering a method that will successfully work to overcome these issues.

According to Warner (2012) the access of the average prisoner to services such as education

and training can be very limited, due to lock-up times of close to 17 hours a day. This research

dissertation suggests easy alternatives to these problems that the Irish prisons need to start

considering. Why are our prisoners not supplied with a fundamental workbook or an alternative

way of learning that they can use productively in their cell instead of looking at the walls?

Knowing that their chances of reoffending within the three year period is increasing by the day

due to the lack of opportunities they have to be educated.

Amongst many international programmes of prisoner rehabilitation Giving up Crime is a

particular interesting method of rehabilitaiton. Through existing literature it was gathered that

the Giving up Crime could be a very successful model in Irish prisons considering the current

issues. Giving up Crime method is inexpensive in multiple ways i.e. no teachers needed and

no additional resources needed. Giving up Crime method is based on a self-teaching cohort

that is mandatory in Dutch prisons. This research projects recommends looking elsewhere for

a more successful program for Irish prisons. Having a mandatory program while eliminate the

non-mandatory means of preparing selected prisoners for rehabilitation will benefit the wider

prison population and thus benefitting society.

The findings suggest an alternative method of rehabilitation after analysing the current state of

the Irish prison service. With the issues of overcrowded Irish prisons, a lack of availability of

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ISM to all prisoners, cuts in the education service, long lock up hours and as a result, increasing

reoffending rates within the three year period the resolution that may be the most satisfying to

Irish prisoners is the Giving up Crime method. Through the analysis it is concluded that Giving

up Crime could have the capability to eliminate or significantly reduce the number of issues in

our Irish prisons.

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social policy thesis

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