Education
Members of this group draw on their experience working in government agencies, community groups and academia.
See below for recent news in relation to the group's activities and developments in education.
Education Working Group Member Publication
Dr. Kevin Warner, University College Cork and a member of the ACJRD Education Working Group, recently published the paper "Every Possible Learning Opportunity: The Capacity of Education in Prison to Challenge Dehumansiation and Liberate 'The Whole Person'"
This paper is just one in an extensive special issue of Advancing Corrections, the publication of the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA), which comes to over 200 pages, on education in prison. The full issue can be viewed here
Employment with Conviction: Expo 2017 - creating opportunity through education and employer engagement
The ACJRD and its Education and Reintegration Working Groups held the seminar 'Employment with Conviction: Expo 2017 - creating opportunity through education and employer engagement' on September 12th, 2017.
Paddy Richardson Chief Executive of the Irish Association for the Social Integration of Offenders (IASIO) delivered a presentation on the recent ‘Jobs and Opportunities Expo’ held in Mountjoy Prison and the education of prisoners in relation to securing employment.
Intellectual Disability and the Criminal Justice System - 28th July 2015
The Seminar 'Intellectual Disability and the Criminal Justice System - Recent Research and Casework Experience' took place in the Education Centre at the Law Society of Ireland,Blackhall Place, Dublin 7, on Tuesday 28th July.
This event was a collaboration between the ACJRD and its Juvenile Justice and Education Working Groups, and the Irish Criminal Justice and Disability Network
Seminar speakers:
Professor Shane Kilcommins, Head of the School of Law, University of Limerick
Prof Shane Kilcommins's Report
Dr Helen Goode, Senior Clinical Psychologist, The Dublin Adult and Child Therapy Centre
Karen O'Driscoll, Speech & Language Therapist, The Dublin Adult and Child Therapy Centre
The Irish Criminal Justice and Disability Network is a newly established organisation that aims to provide a national platform where disability organisations and criminal justice agencies can be facilitated to improve the experience of those with a learning/intellectual disability who engage with the criminal justice system.
Education: Empowerment through literacy - 16th July 2014
The ACJRD and their Education Working Group held the seminar "Empowerment through Literacy" on Wednesday, 16th July 2014 in the Law Society of Ireland, Blackhall Place, Dublin 2.
The seminar featured presentations from the following speakers:
John Hurley - H2 Learning @ the Digital Hub
Dannielle McKenna - Team Leader, The Dolphin House Home Work Club, Rialto Youth Project
Dr Liz McLoughlin with Dr Catherine Maunsell - RISE - Reintegration into Society through Education and Learning project, St Patricks College Drumcondra
Innovation in Literacy Seminar 2011
The ACJRD held the seminar Innovation in Literacy on Thursday 29th September
Seminar Speakers included:
Professor Mark Morgan: Cregan Professor of Education and Psychology, St Patrick’s College Drumcondra
Stephen O'Connor: Organiser, City of Dublin VEC Educational Service to Prisons
Brian Kenealy: Mountjoy Education Unit
Brenda Fitzpatrick: Acting Head Teacher Educational Unit Wheatfield Prison
Jimmy O'Rourke: Arbour Hill & Wheatfield Education Units
Robbie Robinson: Wheatfield Education Unit
David Ahern: CEO, The Shannon Trust
From the right
Pictured from left to right: Jimmy O’Rourke, Bill Faloon, Helen Cauley, David Ahern, Brian Kenealy, Robbie Robinson, Stephen O’Connor, Maura Butler & Prof. Mark Morgan
To view videos of some of the speakers please see the ACJRD channel on youtube. Unfortunately we were not able to include videos of all speakers due to sound quality issues.
Below you will find the slides from each of the presentations on the night.
Please contact the ACJRD office if you have any questions about the seminar or the speakers, either by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or ph (01) 878 2592 . Shannon Trust runs the Toe by Toe Reading Plan, an award-winning peer mentoring programme which encourages and supports prisoners who can read to give one-to-one tuition to prisoners who struggle to read. In 2007, they provided resources to teach over five thousand new learners in prison.
Education on the Inside 2011
The ACJRD held the seminar: Education on the inside - a view of the educational process in Irish Detention Schools and Prisons on Tuesday 5th October 2011 at the Law Society of Ireland.
The seminar was co-presented by: Anne Marie Byrne IRCHSS Ph.D candidate, St Patrick’s College Drumcondra who spoke on Education for young offenders in detention schools; and Jane Carrigan Ph.D candidate, St Patrick's College Drumcondra who spoke on Education for adult prisoners, from a life-history point of view.
The event was very well attended and an interesting and interactive discussion followed the presentations.
Thanks to Anne Marie and Jane and to all present for their contributions to this enjoyable event.
Both Anne-Marie and Jane are continuing with their research and we hope to have copies of their final reports available at a future date.
Picture: Anne Marie Byrne & Jane Carrigan