Madam, - A report in your edition of May 6th, quoting comments made by Inspector of Prisons Mr Justice Dermot Kinlen, states: "In Arbour Hill the 'so-called treatment' programme for sex offenders was only run on a part-time basis. 'One psychologist spends two days a week [ working on the programme] and the rest of the week attends meetings in Prison Service Headquarters'."
We, the visiting committee to Arbour Hill Prison, as an independent body which is proactive in monitoring delivery of services to prisoners at Arbour Hill, categorically state that the position as outlined in this report is incorrect and misleading.
The facts regarding the sex offenders treatment programme are as follows:
1. The programme is full-time, not part-time.
2. The delivery team consists of two psychologists working full-time on the programme, supported by two probation and welfare officers and one senior probation and welfare officer.
3. Programme delivery staff do not attend meetings at "prison service headquarters".
4. The programme is intense and demanding and consists of more than 80 sessions. (See 6.3 (b) 2. Irish Prisons Inspectorate - Arbour Hill Report 2003.)
We feel the comments as published are grossly inaccurate and gratuitously offensive and indeed deleterious to both the delivery personnel and the participants alike. - Yours, etc,
J.B. O'HANRAHAN,
Chairman,
Arbour Hill Visiting Committee,
Arbour Hill Prison,
Dublin 7.