There has been an "appalling" lack of progress in addressing human rights concerns in the Irish prison service, according to prison chaplains.
In their 2004 annual report, released yesterday, the National Prison Chaplains say the service has changed gear "from slow progress to steady regression".
The "damning failures of the current system should energise us to look towards a new mindset", the chaplains say, calling for a move towards "restorative justice".
The report, Human Rights Issues for Prisoners, focuses on living conditions, padded cells, mentally ill prisoners, temporary release and deportation.
It also refers to recent labour relations disputes involving the Prison Officers Association and prison doctors. These "brought an added tension to daily life in our prisons".
"We had serious concerns during the year about the impact these disputes have had on the wellbeing of prisoners and their families. In the midst of this palpable tension we, as chaplains, have aimed to be a pastoral and attentive presence to the entire prison community."
They say the past year has seen the withdrawal of many resources and services for prisoners.
There has been a significant increase in the number of people with serious psychiatric illness being sent to prison.
While the courts seem to believe the prisons have appropriate psychiatric facilities in place, the chaplains say custody restricts such vulnerable people's access to necessary support.
They cite the case of a man in his 20s who, during the year, was remanded on a public order offence.
"It was immediately clear that he had no understanding as to why he was in prison. While every effort was made to care for this vulnerable man, who was mute and greatly distressed, he was cut off from the very support and care that was available to him in the community."
The chaplains say he was just one of many inappropriately placed in custody. "The obvious gaps in our healthcare service cannot be an excuse," they add.
The issue of temporary release for prisoners suffering a bereavement remains a concern. "Incarceration isolates individuals from their families," they say. It is important they are reunited with their families.
"This will help diffuse the anger and resentment that we meet in our work where prisoners have been refused permission to attend the funeral of an immediate family member."
The chaplains also say the use of Clover Hill Prison and the Dóchas Centre for women in Mountjoy, as a detention centres for non-nationals awaiting deportation, should "cease immediately".
"These men and women who have committed no crime may be held for up to eight weeks and are subject to the same regime as those in custody on criminal charges."
They are often unable to gain access to satisfactory legal advice and are sometimes deported without this opportunity. The chaplains describe this as "shameful".
Welcoming the plans to move prisoners out of Mountjoy "which has now gone beyond the possibility of refurbishment", they are, however, "greatly concerned that this movement could also bring about a substantial increase in the number of prison services".
Calling for a greater use of "restorative justice", they say imprisonment "does not reform people, it does not deter offenders and neither does it discourage crime".
"This process is concerned with restoring as far as possible to dignity and well being of the offended and with the healing of the offender."
It suggests such formats as those based on victim-offender dialogue and community or family group conferences.
