Discipline in Prisons

international | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis Sunday February 18, 2007 21:32 by Kevin T. Walsh - Social Justice and Ethics

Mental health conditions

Education..........

Community Service

Cookery classes for prisoners at Castlereagh

Justice Kinlan has been the brightest light we have had since the Whitaker Report in the 1970's regarding Irish prisons.

The reform in Irish prisons is probably at 8% - what I mean by this is the repetitive criminal from the inner city from age 15 when he enters St. Patrick's institution for young offenders and then onto Mountjoy when he is 18 or 19 (next door).

In the last 25 years, in my research into Irish prisons - what beggars belief is the government have only appointed a Director of Prisons in the last 5 years. Corruption among staff was rife and went on for decades. Lonergan cries out for resources. He is Governor for over 25 years now and what changes has he made.

One staff member told me some years ago concerning mental health that the patients were called the muppets. They were held in the C division of the prison. They were sedated on medication to keep them quiet. Some would not get to see a psychiatrists for months yet be kept in the cell for up to 22 hours. Out of the 120 people in the C division, 85% were in for minor offences - debtors, alcoholics and homeless. This staff member told me he worked a staff officer on one of the wings and said the conditions that these people were kept in were appalling. He said that in his 20 years as a warder I never thought I would see human beings treated as sub human under governor, John Lonergan, who in immediate circles portrays himself as a humanitarian.

Last week while walking my dog on the canal, I met this warder again - I asked him about the young man who was butchered in the six man cell last year - his reply was that the staff had warned management for months because the overcrowding was so bad.

Dr. Kennedy has recently said that such prisoners should not be kept in such conditions. The Irish Commission for Mental Health has also agreed that in this day and age, we need redress on this issue.

To lock anybody up is psychologically dangerous. To mistreat anybody locked up is against the Constitution of the person's human rights. John Lonergan has been given a free ride by the media for the past 25 years and I ask why? I know some people (hardened gangland) have to be contained but over 65% of our prisoners are in on minor offences and their abilities could be utilised doing outside works like cleaning up grave yards, along the canals, rivers etc.

Education is the essential part of prison life but not so in Ireland. I ask why. Social and probation services are not doing their job - I ask why? Prison doctors and psychiatrists are paid large amounts of money but where is the progress. One GP alone earned over 200,000 euros on prison fees.

I close by saying History has thought has nothing. We will now build a new mental health hospital on the grounds of Thornton Hall ..... the new Prison. Does this not criminal people who suffer from Manic Depression, Schizophrenia, Depression etc?

I admire Castrea prison for showing its enthusiasm in promoting long term prisoners to engage in cookery courses. Governor Dan Scannell is an excellent Governor - he gets little media attention - I ask why.

Londergan was appointed Governor of Mountjoy Prison in 1983 as a Yes Man and his done his job to perfection. Well Done John.