Beyond Redemption

Posted on 03. Nov, 2016 in Christian Values, Rehabilitation

Journalist Mick Peelo recently presented a Would You Believe documentary called Beyond Redemption? He looked at sex offenders in Ireland and discovered a number of unpalatable truths: most are not paedophiles, most are never caught or convicted and almost 40% of them are children under 18. Having spent over 20 years investigating sexual abuse within […]

Chaplain In Wheatfield Prison

Posted on 24. Mar, 2016 in Chaplaincy, Christian Values, Community, Crime, Education, Holy Week, Places of Conflict, Poverty, Prison, Rehabilitation, Seasons of the Church Year

A recent article in the Irish Times featured an interview with Stephen Plunkett, chief executive of U-Casadh, a programme aimed at rehabilitating prisoners. In it he says that the vast majority of prisoners are not violent and shouldn’t be locked up but rather rehabilitated. The Easter Christian message in particular reminds us of the respect […]

Call On Me Again

Posted on 25. Sep, 2014 in Art, Community, Music Therapy, Rehabilitation, Spiritual, Spirituality, Young people

Here is the latest piece of music from Eamon Keane, musician, therapist and radio presenter. It is called “Call on Me Again” and was written while Eamon was working in South Africa. The song derives its inspiration from his work as therapist listening to the stories of many students who feel forgotten. He will be […]

Prison Services

Posted on 14. Aug, 2014 in Poverty, Prison, Rehabilitation

A piece from the 2006 archive. Reoffending and rehabilitation are words that are often used when talking about prisoners and the prison system in Ireland today.  Miriam Gormally met up with John Lonergan, the Governor of Mountjoy Prison, who talked about rehabilitation and how poverty, disadvantage and stigmatisation affect it.  John explains why we need […]

Homeboy Industries

Posted on 24. Jul, 2014 in Prison, Rehabilitation

How do you go from gangland member to chef? This is the work of Homeboy Industries. Fr Gregory Boyle SJ, founder and director, established Homeboy Industries to facilitate people who wanted to turn their lives around. Started as a small job service, “Jobs for Future”, it is now one of the largest, most comprehensive and most […]

Stopping Child Abuse

Posted on 05. Jun, 2014 in Human Trafficking, Rehabilitation

The Lucy Faithfull Foundation is a registered child protection charity which works across the UK to prevent child sexual abuse. It runs many projects, including Stop It Now! UK and Ireland and Parents Protect!. Michael Sheath, a member of the team was in Ireland recently speaking about Child Sexual Abuse and the internet. Did you […]

Reforming Prison

Posted on 28. Mar, 2013 in Prison, Rehabilitation

A study by the JointOireachtas Committee on Justice has called on the Government to pledge to reduce the prison population by a third over the next 10 years, saying that non-violent offences should be replaced with community service orders. Peter McVerry who has worked with prisoners for many years, strongly agrees. He also says that […]

Reflection on Advent

Posted on 06. Dec, 2012 in Prison, Rehabilitation

Has God left the building? This is a humourous but thoughtful reflection from Darren McCallig, COI chaplain in Trinity, regarding trying to get back into prison and a nativity play with lines from Shakespeare.

Reimagining Imprisonment

Posted on 20. Sep, 2012 in Prison, Rehabilitation

Leading international experts on imprisonment gathered at a conference in Trinity College in Dublin looking at the theme of Reimagining Imprisonment in Europe. Hosted by the Jesuit centre for Faith and Justice, the conference considered common challenges, diverse policies and practice. In this three part series, Miriam Gormally speaks with three different speakers, all of […]

Reimagining Prison

Posted on 06. Sep, 2012 in Prison, Rehabilitation, Uncategorized

Leading international experts on imprisonment gathered at a conference in Trinity College in Dublin looking at the theme of Reimagining Imprisonment in Europe. Hosted by the Jesuit centre for Faith and Justice, the conference considered common challenges, diverse policies and practice. In this three part series, Miriam Gormally speaks with three different speakers, all of […]