TPI PUBLICATIONS - ssgt · funding for the TPI for a three-year period (2015-2018). The Irish...
Transcript of TPI PUBLICATIONS - ssgt · funding for the TPI for a three-year period (2015-2018). The Irish...
CONTACT
Anne Costello
Programme Coordinator
Travellers in Prison Initiative
St Stephen’s Green Trust
PO Box 950
Newbridge
Co. Kildare
W: www.ssgt.ie
P: 087 657 7666
St. Stephen’s Green Trust is a charitable foundation which
respects human dignity and is committed to helping create
a society where the dignity of all can be realised through
social justice and inclusive, nurturing communities.
TPI PUBLICATIONS
Rachel Doyle | 2017
‘Hearing their Voices’Traveller Women in Prison
Travellers in Prison Initiative: Ethnic Identifiers in Irish Prisons | Page 1
Report completed by Tanya Lalor March 2017
Travellers in Prison InitiativeEthnic Identifiers in Irish PrisonsContext and recommended practice for improving data collection on
Travellers and minority ethnic groups in Irish Prisons
Report completed by Tanya Lalor May 2017
Travellers in Prison InitiativeMidland Traveller Conflict
Mediation InitiativePeer Mediation Pilot Initiative in Castlerea Prison
Evaluation report
Travellers in Prison Initiative: Developing a Strategy 2016 | Page 1
Travellers in Prison Initiative:Developing a Strategy
2016
Ethnic Identifiers in Irish Prisons - Context and
recommended practice for improving data collection on
Travellers and minority ethnic groups in Irish Prisons (2017).
Lalor, T. Ireland: Travellers in Prison Initiative.
Hearing their Voices – Traveller Women in Prison (2017).
Doyle, R. Ireland: Travellers in Prison Initiative.
Midland Traveller Conflict Mediation Initiative - Peer
Mediation Pilot Initiative in Castlerea Prison Evaluation
report (2017). Lalor, T. Ireland: Travellers in Prison Initiative.
Towards Developing a Strategy for Travellers in Prison
(2016). Travellers in Prison Initiative.
Travellers in Prison Initiative Newsletters (2015-2017).
All reports and newsletters are available at www.ssgt.ie
ARTWORK CREDITS
Artwork by Travellers in custody in Arbour Hill, Cork and
Wheatfield Prisons.
OUR BACKGROUND
The Travellers in Prison Initiative (TPI) developed as a
response to the particular needs and circumstances of
Travellers within the 14 prisons in the Republic of Ireland
(ROI), which were highlighted in the Irish Penal Reform
Trust’s 2014 publication, ‘Travellers in the Irish Prison
System: A qualitative study1’. This research report captured
some of the challenges and difficulties experienced by
Travellers in Irish prisons.
While there are no official statistics on the number
of Travellers in prison yet, the Irish Prison Service
acknowledges that Travellers are significantly over-
represented. Although Travellers only account for
approximately 0.6% of the overall population in the ROI,
the Irish Prison Service anecdotally estimates that Travellers
account for 22% of the female prison population and 15%
of the male prison population.
1 Irish Penal Reform Trust (2014). Travellers in the Irish Prison System: A Qualitative Study. Ireland: IPRT Publications. Available at: http://www.iprt.ie/files/IPRT_Travellers_Report_web.pdf
WHO WE ARE
This initiative is operated by St Stephen’s Green Trust
(SSGT). Anne Costello is the part-time Programme
Coordinator based in Galway. SSGT trustees allocated
funding for the TPI for a three-year period (2015-2018).
The Irish Prison Service and the Irish Probation Service also
fund the initiative, and additional grant funding has been
received from the Health Services Executive (HSE) Social
Inclusion Unit, to conduct research on the specific issues for
Traveller women in the criminal justice system.
An interagency steering group was appointed to guide
the direction of the TPI and includes representatives
from Pavee Point Traveller & Roma Centre, the National
Traveller Women’s Forum, the Irish Traveller Movement, the
Irish Prison Service, the Probation Service, the Irish Penal
Reform Trust, Mincéirs Whiden, Exchange House, Traveller
Counselling Service, the HSE Social Inclusion Unit, IASIO,
the Irish Red Cross, the Education and Training Board,
Traveller Mediation Service and Parish of the Travelling
People.
WHAT WE DO
The overall aim of the TPI is to embed changes in policy
and practice that have a positive impact on Travellers in
prison, their families and communities. The following five
key action areas have been identified:
• To build a knowledge base about Travellers in prison
• To expand and improve access to prison-based services
for Travellers
• To strengthen supports for families of Travellers in prison
and after prison, using a multi-agency approach
• To mainstream a peer-support model to reinforce self-
advocacy and create a supportive environment for
Travellers to self-identify in prison
• To increase awareness and boost the capacity of Irish
Prison and Probation Service staff through training and
learning programmes