ACJRD Annual Conferences
ACJRD now holds their annual conference in June (previously October) each year. Details and reports from these and other ACJRD conferences can be found below.
2024 - Continuing the Conversation: The Future of Drugs Policy in Ireland
The ACJRD 27th Annual Conference entitled Continuing the Conversation - The future of Drugs Policy in Ireland, which took place on Friday, 12th June 2024, aimed to explore the rationale and implementation of Government Policy and the Citizens' Assembly Report recommendations in a multi-disciplinary manner.
Speakers presented their endeavours to balance the enforcement of relevant legal sanctions for the supply and use of illegal drugs, with a desire, through a welfare lens, to support non-criminogenic interventions of diversion, dissuasion, desistance and decriminalisation.
The topics addressed by a programme of plenary speakers and workshop presenters from within our jurisdiction and at European level included policing, intervention by the judiciary, care and after-care for prisoners, international decriminalisation policies, Citizens' Assembly views, integration of drug services with primary care services and the lived experience of drug users.
The conference report includes the following papers:
Plenary papers:
Official Launch of Conference - Address by Minister Colm Burke, Minister of State for Public Health, Wellbeing & the National Drugs Strategy
Balancing Policing of Organised Crime & Drug Decriminalisation Policies, Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly, An Garda Síochána
The Drug Treatment Court, a Community Court in Action, Judge Patricia McNamara
A Comprehensive Care Model - Prisoner Rehabilitation & Reintegration, Dr. Emma Regan, Director of Care and Rehabilitation Irish Prison Services
An International Perspective on the Decriminalisation of Drugs – the Portuguese Experience, Captain Filipe Correia Paulino, Chief of the Information & Criminal Investigation Section, Portugal
The 5 Major Flaws in Current Drugs Policies – and How to Rectify Them, David Nutt, Prof. of Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London
Recommendations to Balance Decriminalisation, Diversion & Dissuasion, Paul Reid, Chairperson of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use
Balancing Precision with Momentum: Scientific Evidence and Youth Justice Reform in Ireland, Dr. Johnny Connolly, Research Evidence into Policy, Programmes and Practice (REPPP) project
Addiction, Drug Use, Crime & Recovery, Ger Redmond, ex-prisoner, now Professional Athlete
Thematic session papers:
Session One: Support Services for Drug Addiction – The Status Quo
- Frontline Addiction and Rehabilitation Support with Effective Interagency Approach, Louise Mahoney, General Manager, Red Door Project and Peter Heeney, support staff with lived experience
- Support for those Experiencing Drug-related Intimidation & Violence, Kevin Byrne, Project Officer, Drug Related Intimidation & Violence Engagement (DRIVE)
- Interventions to Empower Families Impacted by Substance Misuse & Safe Injection Facilities, Eddie Mullins, CEO, Merchants Quay Ireland and Andy O’Hara, CEO of UISCE
Session Two: Prevention – Policies & Practice
- Giving Voice to Diversity in Criminological Research: ‘Nothing about Us without Us’, Dr. Richard Healy, Research Officer, Service Users Rights in Action (SURIA), who also has lived experience
- Women in Addiction, Issues of Domestic Violence and other Criminality, Rachel Fayne, Coordinator of the Davina Project (SAOL Project) and a participant with lived experience
Session Three: Moving Towards Decriminalisation & Desistance
- Supports, Programmes, Activities & Counselling, Orla Brennan, Supervisor of Pre-Release Programme at Wheatfield Prison with Ger Redmond
- Harms of Adolescent Alcohol and Drug Use: Links to Criminal Justice, Professor Andrew Percy, Professor of Quantitative Criminology, School of Social Science, Education and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast
2023 Accountability and Monitoring in the Criminal Justice System
The ACJRD 26th Annual Conference, Accountability and Monitoring in the Criminal Justice System, took place on Friday, 9th June 2023.
The ACJRD 26th Annual Conference, Accountability and Monitoring in the Criminal Justice System, took place on Friday, 9th June 2023.
This year’s conference responded to the perception by many that Irish society has become more egalitarian, diverse and inclusive. The conference focused on how such perceived social change manifests in our Criminal Justice System, by considering its patterns and demographics across all genders.
Delegates were given the opportunity to attend one of the three Thematic Sessions offered, each of which featured three different presentations.
To view a PDF of the Conference Programme, please click here.
Links to presentations, where available, can be found on this page. A Conference Report is being prepared for publication at a later date.
The conference included the following presentations:
Plenary presentations:
The Potential of the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty
Presenter: Chief Commissioner, Sinead Gibney, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC)
Oversight of Policing in Ireland - Opportunities and Challenges Ahead
Presenter: Commissioner Emily Logan, Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission
An Overview of the Istanbul Convention
Presenter: Ellen O’Malley Dunlop, Council of Europe’s GRIEVO Committee
Presenter: Criminal Justice, Sentencing & Public Confidence
Presenter: Professor Cyrus Tata, Director Centre for Law, Crime and Justice, University of Strathclyde, Scotland
Parole: protecting the community, fair to applicants and listening to victims
Presenter: Ciairín de Buis, Chief Executive Officer, Parole Board
Inspections and Investigations in Places of Detention and Imprisonment
Presenter: Mark Kelly, Chief Inspector of Prisons
Thematic session presentations:
The Bail Supervision Scheme
Presenter: Janice Hickey, Manager/MST Supervisor Bail Supervision Scheme, Cork
Collaborating with Communities to Respond to Offending by Women
Presenter: Rachel Lillis, APPO for Social Inclusion & Reintegration, Probation Service, with a Community Partner
Access to Rights for People Detained in Secure Forensic Mental Health Facilities in Ireland
Presenter: Professor Eilionóir Flynn, School of Law NUI Galway
Measuring what matters, counting what counts’: the introduction of organisation scorecards across the Irish Prison Service
Presenter: Caroline Finn, Assistant Principal, IGEES Policy Analyst at Irish Prison Service
Addressing Data Deficits on Ethnicity in the CJS and Challenging Hate Crime
Presenter: Andrew O’Sullivan, Chief Information Officer, An Garda Síochána
Using Data to Support Outcomes
Presenter: Gurchand Singh, Head of Data Analytics, Department of Justice Data Analytics
Accountability in the moment: Lawyers attending Garda Interviews
Presenter: Professor Yvonne Daly, School of Law
A Vision for Intermediaries
Presenter: Dr. Áine Kearns, School of Allied Health at the University of Limerick
People Centred Changes
Presenter: Emer Darcy, Acting Head of Strategy and Reform, Courts Service
2018 Unlocking the Power of Data for Criminal Justice Research, Policy-Making and Practice
The ACJRD 21st Annual Conference Report ‘Unlocking the Power of Data for Criminal Justice Research, Policy-Making and Practice’ was launched on Tuesday 10th September, 2019.
ACJRD Council Members Pauline Shields, Tony O'Donovan and Maura Butler at the Conference Report launch event.
How potentially powerful are traditional, digital and automated data in Criminal Justice Policy, Practice and Research when collated, analysed, compared, legislated for, accessed and disseminated within appropriate ethical parameters?
How has all such data been unlocked or how might it be utilised in the future to:
• develop policy in a national and international context on an evidence-based foundation, where its methodological validity is accepted?
• motivate positive outcomes for prosecutors, juveniles, victims of crime, probation supervision, reintegration of offenders and a safer society?
• impact crime prevention, human rights, fair trial procedures, access for researchers and appropriate data protection?
The above issues were addressed by a programme of plenary speakers and workshop presenters from within our jurisdiction and at European level on Friday, 5th October, 2018, at the 21st Annual Conference of the Association for Criminal Justice Research and Development, “Unlocking the Power of Data for Criminal Justice Research, Policy-Making and Practice”.
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Launch of Conference
Aidan O’Driscoll, Secretary General, Department of Justice and Equality
Developing an Evidenced Based Approach using Research and Analysis: The Department of Justice’s Strategy
Presenter: Gurchand Singh, Chief Information Officer, Department of Justice and Equality
Keywords: Criminal Justice; Research; Justice and Equality Hub; Data Collection; Thor Browser; JARC; Data protection.
The Use of Digital Evidence in Prosecuting Crime
Presenter: Claire Loftus, Director of Public Prosecutions
Keywords: Electronic Data; Criminal Investigations; Technology; Crime; CCTV; Criminal Court; Evidence.
Getting Traction: Driving Better Criminal Justice Policy and Practice through Analytics
Presenters: Professor Betsy Stanko OBE, Visiting Professor UCL, City University of London and Sheffield & Hallam University; Emeritus Professor of Criminology, Royal Holloway University of London
Keywords: Statistics; Criminal Justice; Policy; Analytics; Data; Analysis; Policing.
Balancing Precision with Momentum: Scientific Evidence and Youth Justice Reform in Ireland
Presenter: Professor Seán Redmond, REPPP Project, School of Law, University of Limerick
Keywords: Youth; Evidence; Youth justice; Ireland; Offender; Prison; Youth crime; Youth programmes
Data in the Criminal Justice System: Human Rights Perspectives
Presenter: Michael O’Neill, Head of Legal, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission
Keywords: Human Rights; Data; Criminal Justice; Data collection; GDPR; ECHR; Law Enforcement; Privacy.
The report includes the following workshop summaries:
The Power and Influence of SAVI 1, and the Potential Impact of SAVI
Presenter: Angela McCarthy, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre
Research and Evaluation in the Department of Justice and Equality
Presenter: Eoin Kelly and Natasha Browne, Department of Justice and Equality
Utilising Road Collision Data to Save Lives
Presenter: Assistant Commissioner David Sheahan, An Garda Síochána
Automated Law Enforcement: Challenges and Opportunities
Presenter: Dr. John Danaher, NUI Galway
The Value of Data in Offender Management
Presenter: Gerry McNally, Asst. Director, The Probation Service and President of the Confederation of European Probation (CEP) and Supritha Subramanian, The Probation Service.
The Impact of Updated EU Data Protection Law on Criminal Justice Research
Presenter: Séamus Carroll, Department of Justice and Equality
Brave New World: Challenging Technical Evidence in the 21st Century
Presenter: Rory Staines, Michael J. Staines & Company Solicitors
Data Access: Contexts, Challenges and Ways Forward
Presenter: Dr. Deirdre Healy, University College Dublin
2017 The Brexit Impact on Criminal Justice Cooperation in Ireland
David Stanton T.D. Minister of State for Equality, Immigration and Integration launched the publication of the ACJRD 20th Annual Conference Report “The Brexit Impact on Criminal Justice Co-operation in Ireland” at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Tuesday, 17th April, 2018.
Pictured at the launch of the ACJRD 2017 Annual Conference Report Launch on 17th April, 2018 (L-R): Hugh Dockry, Chief State Solicitor's Office, Gemma Davies, University of Northumbria, Ray Briscoe, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Jimmy Martin, Department of Justice and Equality, and Maura Butler, Chairperson, ACJRD.
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Launch of Conference
Presenter: Charlie Flanagan T.D., Minister for Justice and Equality
Transitional Arrangements for On-Going Criminal Procedures
Presenter: Thérèse Blanchet, Council Legal Service
Keywords: Crime; Criminal Procedures; Transition; UK; Brexit; Cross-border crime; JHA; Withdrawal.
Brexit - the Response of the Department of Justice and Equality
Presenter: Jimmy Martin, Department of Justice and Equality
Keywords: Brexit; Criminal matters; European Union; UK; Europol; EAW; Department of Justice and Equality.
European Arrest Warrant Procedure in a Post-Brexit Landscape
Presenter: Ray Briscoe, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions
Keywords: Arrest warrants; Brexit; Europe; EAW; Post-Brexit; UK; ECJ.
UK-Irish Criminal Justice Cooperation: Finding Solutions to a Multi-faceted Problem
Presenter: Gemma Davies and Adam Jackson, University of Northumbria, Newcastle
Keywords: Criminal Justice; UK; Cooperation; Ireland; EAW; Policing strategies; Law enforcement.
Revenue Perspectives – Joint Agency Cooperation
Presenter: Marie-Claire Maney, Revenue Commissioners
Keywords: Revenue; Brexit; Cooperation; Joint-agency; Task force; Organised crime.
Human Rights on the Island after Brexit
Presenter: Brian Gormally, Northern Ireland Committee on the Administration of Justice
Keywords: Human Rights; Ireland; Brexit; CAJ; BGFA; Borders; Agreements.
The report includes the following workshop summaries:
Pros for the Cons – European Arrest Warrants Post-Brexit for Ireland and the UK
Presenter: Hugh Dockry, Chief State Solicitor’s Office (CSSO)
Anticipated Changes in the EU Funding Landscape
Presenter: Hugh Quigley, The Wheel
Community Sanctions, Framework Decisions and Mobility in the European Union
Presenter: Gerry McNally, The Probation Service and the Confederation of European Probation (CEP)
Counter-Terrorism, Radicalisation and Brexit – The Irish perspective
Presenter: Detective Inspector Michael Heffernan, An Garda Síochána
Brexit and the Implications for Customs Cooperation
Presenter: Michael Gilligan, Revenue Commissioners and Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre -Narcotics, Portugal
UK responses to Commercial Economic Crime in the City of London: Possible Lessons for a Post-Brexit City of Dublin
Presenter: Jack Nea, BL
The Asylum and Immigration Implications of Brexit
Presenter: Dr. Ciara Smyth, NUI Galway
Brexit, Bordering and the Free Movement of People
Presenter: Professor Cathal McCall, Queen’s University Belfast
2016 Cybercrime
Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald launched the ACJRD Annual Conference Report 2016 “Cybercrime” on Monday 15th May. The event was hosted by the Department of Justice and Equality, in the 'Atrium' 51 St. Stephens Green.
Pictured: Maura Butler, Chairperson, ACJRD, and Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald at the launch of the ACJRD Annual Conference 2016 Report "Cybercrime".
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Launch of Conference
Maura Butler, Chairperson, ACJRD
Preventing, Detecting and Responding to Cyberattacks - A Question of Trust
Presenter: Robert Hayes, Microsoft Executive Cybersecurity Advisor, Europe, Middle East and Africa
Keywords: Cyber-security; Cybercrime; Security; IT; Data; Network; Infrastructure; Cyber-attacks.
International Prevention and Enforcement Online
Presenter: Det. Sergeant Michael Moran, Assistant Director, Vulnerable Communities, INTERPOL
Keywords: Online enforcement; Prevention; Database; Interpol; Cybercrime; Cyber Criminal; Identification.
More than a Breach of Privacy: Image-based Sexual Abuse and the Irish Law Reform Commission on Harmful Communications
Presenter: Professor Clare McGlynn, Durham Law School, Durham University
Keywords: Privacy; Sexual abuse; Victims; Cybercrime; Consent; Revenge porn; Ireland; Sexual images.
On-line Child Sexual Exploitation: Grooming, Sexting and Cyberbullying
Presenter: Professor Anne-Marie McAlinden, School of Law, Queen’s University Belfast
Keywords: Cyberbullying; Grooming; Children; Online exploitation; Online predators; Sexting.
Recommended Legislative Reforms on Child Protection
Presenter: Professor Dr. Geoffrey Shannon, Special Rapporteur on Child Protection
Keywords: Children; Protection methods; Legislation; ICT; Ireland; Cyberbullying; Cybercrime; Criminal Law; Child Sexual Abuse.
The report includes the following workshop summaries:
Victims, Victimisation and Terrorism: the Myths, Motives and Assumptions
Presenter: Dr. Orla Lynch, Lecturer in Criminology, University College Cork
Cyberbullying in Young People: Behaviour, Experiences, Resolutions
Presenter: Rebecca Dennehy, SPHeRE PhD Scholar, University College Cork
Cybercrime and Civil Liberties
Presenter: Dr. T.J. McIntyre, Chair, Digital Rights Ireland, UCD Sutherland School of Law
Online Abuse, Harassment and Dating Abuse
Presenter: Margaret Martin, Director, Women’s Aid
Towards Preventing Cyberbullying: Can Irish Parents’ Online Facility and Perceptions Help Inform Practice? A Quantitative Study
Presenters: Dr. James O’Higgins Norman, Director, ABC - National Anti-Bullying Research & Resource Centre, & Senior Lecturer and Researcher, Dublin City University
Policing Challenges in Tackling Cybercrime in Ireland
Presenter: Det. Superintendent Michael Gubbins, Garda Cyber Crime Bureau
Online Extremism: Then and Now
Presenter: Professor Maura Conway, School of Law and Government, Dublin City University and VOX-Pol
Computer Fraud - How it Happens, and How to Minimise the Risk
Presenter: Andy Harbison, Director - Head of IT Forensics, Grant Thornton Ireland
2015 Victims in Focus - European and Domestic Perspectives
The EU Member States must implement the provisions of the European Directive 201/29/EU on Victims’ Rights into their national laws by 16th November, 2015. http://ec.europa.eu/justice/criminal/victims/index_en.htm.
In recognition of the major implications of the implementation of this Directive for all organs of our Criminal Justice System, the ACJRD 18th Annual Conference held on Friday, 2nd October, 2015, in the Spencer Hotel, IFSC, Dublin 1, provided a forum for the dissemination of information and discussion with international and national experts through a number of plenary and workshop sessions.
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Launch of Conference
Presenter: The Hon. Ms. Justice Mary Ellen Ring
The Victims' Rights Directive - Challenges and Expectations
Presenter: Katarzyna Janicka-Pawlowska, Directorate General of Justice, European Commission
Keywords: Victims; Victims' rights; Directive; Crime; The European Parliament & Council.
About Politics and Rights - Restorative Justice in the Victims’ Directive
Presenter: Dr. Katrien Lauwaert, Senior Researcher at the Leuven Institute of Criminology (LINC) of the University of Leuven and the European Forum for Restorative Justice
Keywords: Victims' Directive; Restorative Justice; Crime; RJ Services; Victims' Rights.
Implementing the Victims’ Directive: Challenges and Good Practices
Presenter: Stephen Meighan, BSc, LLB, Victim Support Europe & Chair, Victim Support Scotland
Keywords: Victim Support; Directive; EU; Programmes
Dealing with Victims and their Families - the DPP Response to the Forthcoming Legislation
Presenter: Claire Loftus, Director of Public Prosecutions
Keywords: Legislation; Victims; DPP; Victims' Directive; Victims' Charter; Ireland.
The Implementation of the Victims’ Directive into Irish Law
Presenter: Maria McDonald, BL
Keywords: Irish Law; Victims' Directive; Criminal Justice; Support Services.
Putting Victims at the Centre of the Garda Service
Presenter: Chief Superintendent Anne Marie McMahon, Director of Training, Garda College
Keywords: Garda; Victims Support; EU Directive; Victims' Rights Legislation; GVSO; ELOs; Support Organisations
The report includes the following workshop summaries:
Violence against Women
Presenters: Dr. Marsha Scott, Chief Executive, Scottish Women’s Aid, and Dr. Eimear Spain, School of Law, University of Limerick
Victim Information Schemes and Victim Focussed Work in Probation Board for Northern Ireland
Presenters: Cheryl Lamont, Acting Director Probation Board for Northern Ireland and Stephanie Weir, Victim Liaison Officer, Probation Board for Northern Ireland
Offenders as Victims: A Peer-led Support Approach
Presenter: Stephen Doyle, Founder & Director, Care After Prison
Access to Justice for Deaf and Disabled Victims of Crime: Identifying Challenges and Recognising the Need for Change
Presenter: Dr. Gillian Harold, Postdoctoral Researcher, University College Cork
Victim Impact Evidence at Sentencing: A Critical Appraisal
Presenter: Tom O’Malley, Senior Lecturer, School of Law, NUI Galway
The Victims’ Directive and Victims of Sex Trafficking: A Frontline Perspective
Presenter: Tara Brown, Volunteer Manager, Ruhama
Guilty as Charged? The Legal and Ethical Dilemmas Posed by Media Coverage of Criminal Trials
Presenter: Dearbhail McDonald, Associate Editor and Legal Editor, The Irish Independent
The Challenges of Applying the European Directive on Victims’ Rights in Cases of Elder Abuse
Presenter: Naomi Feely, Senior Policy Officer, Age Action Ireland
2014 Youth Justice Transformation
The ACJRD 17th Annual Conference entitled "Youth Justice Transformation" took place on Friday 17th October 2014 in the Camden Court Hotel, Dublin 2.
The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr. James Reilly T.D. launched this one day conference which saw international and national experts address "Youth Justice Transformation" in a number of plenary and workshop sessions.
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Launch of Conference
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr. James Reilly, T.D.
Community Learning and Development: Preventative Interventions
Presenter: Peter Taylor, Coordinator, Community and Learning Development Managers Scotland
Keywords: Youth Justice; Community; Services; Youth Programmes
Current Juvenile Justice Policy – Impact on DPP
Presenter: Peter Mullan, Chief Prosecution Solicitor, Office of the DPP
Keywords: Policy; DPP; Juvenile Justice Policy; Children; Youth; Juvenile Prosecution.
Girls in the Criminal Justice System
Presenter: Dr. Elaine Arnull, Buckinghamshire New University
Keywords: Youth; Girl offenders; Criminal Justice System; Young Offenders; Crime.
Reducing Offending in Partnership
Presenter: Patricia Muldoon, Youth Justice Agency N.I. & D.I. Mark Dennison, PSNI
Keywords: Offenders; Offending; Programmes; Deterrence; Prevention; Multi-agency cooperation.
Promoting Compliance with Young People on Community Supervision
Presenter: Dr. Mairead Seymour, Senior Lecturer, School of Languages, Law & Society, D.I.T.
Keywords: Young People; Compliance; Community; Supervision; Support
Lost in Transition? - Developing a Response for Young Adult Offenders
Presenter: Ursula Fernee, Regional Manager, Young Persons Probation
Keywords: Young adults; Support; Transition; Adult Offenders; Programmes.
The report includes the following workshop summaries:
Youth Justice in Practice: The Importance of Specialist Training in light of the Capacity of the Child
Presenter: Sarah Jane Judge BL, PhD Candidate, University College Cork
Clinical Presentations of Young People in Detention
Presenter: Eimear Ryan, Senior Speech and Language Therapist & Dr Margaret McGovern, Senior Clinical Psychologist, Assessment Consultation and Therapy Service (ACTS)
Utilising Diversion in Youth Justice Transformation
Presenter: Superintendent Colette Quinn, An Garda Síochána
Youth Justice in Transitions? Pre-Sanction Reports in Practice
Presenter: Etain Quigley, PhD candidate, Sutherland School of Law, UCD
Integrating Restorative Approaches in Probation Policy and Practice
Presenter: Elaine Slattery, CEO, Céim ar Chéim and John Brosnahan, SPO, Limerick YPP
The evolving landscape of the National Children's Detention Campus, Oberstown
Presenter: Tony O’Donovan, Child Welfare Advisor, IYJS & Pat Bergin, Oberstown Campus Manager
Mentoring as a transformative process for young offenders? The Le Chéile Experience
Presenter: Anne Conroy, CEO, Le Chéile Mentoring and Youth Justice Support Services
From the Youth Justice System to a positive future?
Presenter: Ciara O’Driscoll, Collinstown Community College
2013 Preventable Harm - Criminal Justice, Communities & Civil Society
The 16th Annual Conference Report of the Association for Criminal Justice Research and Development Ltd (ACJRD) was launched by Nora Owen, former Minister for Justice on Wednesday 26th February 2013.
Nora Owen and Maura Butler, ACJRD Chairperson, pictured with some of the Conference Report contributors.
The Conference brought together a panel of experts who explored a wide range of themes including; the role of the community and voluntary sector service provision in criminal justice, harm reduction, policing diverse societies, the experience of restorative communities and The Victim’s Rights Directive.”
The report includes the following plenary papers:
“Looking the gift horse in the mouth: voluntary and community sector service provision in criminal justice”
Presenter: Professor Anthea Hucklesby, University of Leeds
Keywords: Community; Criminal Justice; Services; Harm; Voluntary Sector.
“Policing diverse societies”
Presenter: Sergeant Dave McInerney, Garda Racial Intercultural & Diversity Office
Keywords: Discrimination; Policing; Minorities protection; Support; Community; Racism.
“Harm reduction or abstinence from drugs?”
Presenter: Professor and Senator John Crown
Keywords: Harm; Drugs; Addiction; Abstinence; Addiccts; Drug-related crime.
“Harm Reduction is good but is it good enough?”
Presenter: Professor Catherine Comiskey, Trinity College Dublin
Keywords: Opiate treatments; Harm reduction; Drug Treatments; ROSIE study; Addicts.
“Developing a restorative community – the experience to date in Tallaght West”
Presenter: Claire Casey, Tallaght West Childhood Development Initiative
Keywords: Restorative practices; Community; Children; RP Programmes; Policy; Tallaght.
“The Victims’ Rights Directive: A force for Change?”
Presenter: Maria McDonald, BL
Keywords: Victims' Directive; Ireland; Crime; Support; Victims' Protection.
The report includes the following workshop summaries:
“Responding to victims in a civil society: the policing challenges”
Presenter: Sergeant Aidan Curtin, Garda Victim Liaison Office, Garda Community Relations Bureau
“Victims of crime and their service to society – should the burden be on their shoulders?”
Presenter: Shirley Cummins, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre
“From harm reduction to total abstinence: a continuum of care in drug treatment”
Presenter: Tony Geoghegan, CEO, Merchants Quay
“Evidence based harm reduction practices – addressing issues of chronic addiction in the community”
Presenter: Kerry Anthony, MBE, CEO, DePaul Ireland
“Roots of Empathy programme – developing empathy in the classroom and beyond”
Presenter: Susana Nunez and Catherine Sheridan, Project Leader/Project Worker and Mentor, Roots of Empathy Programme, Barnardos
“Valuing young people in our community”
Presenter: Sean Kinahan, CEO, Le Chéile Mentoring Project
“Creativity, inclusiveness and boundaries – the three pillars of family support”
Presenter: Larry de Cléir, Bedford Row Family Project
“What’s love got to do with it?”
Presenter: Graham Jones, Managing Partner, Solas Project
2012 Conference Report: Exit from Custody
Claire Loftus, DPP, launched the ACJRD 15th Annual Conference Report: "Exit from Custody: Through-care, Resettlement and Related Issues" at The Green Street Courthouse on 28 February, 2013.
The report includes the following plenary papers:
“Prisoner resettlement – Broadening the responsibility”
Presenter: Michael Donnellan, Director General of the Irish Prison Service
Keywords: Prison; Custody; Criminal Justice System; Probation; Resettlement; Irish Prison Service.
“Resettlement issues and the Parole Board”
Presenter: John Costello, Chairman of the Parole Board
Keywords: Parole Board; Temporary Release; Resettlement; Prison; Crime; Sex Offenders; Prison sentences.
“Prisons and Probation in partnership: Creating conditions for change”.
Presenter: Vivian Geiran, Director, The Probation Service
Keywords: Probation; Programmes; Prisoners; Prisons; Partnership programmes.
“The role of incarceration in prolonging young people's homelessness”
Presenters: Dr. Mary-Louise Corr, Edinburgh Napier University (and Dr. Paula Mayock, Trinity College Dublin)
Keywords: Young People; Prison; Homeless; Offenders; Offending.
The report includes the following workshop summaries:
“Seeking a balance between Community Safety and Reintegration: The Canadian experience of release from custody”
Presenter: Prof. Denis Bracken, Professor of Social Work, University of Manitoba
“Reform of the Law on Remission, Temporary Release and Parole”
Presenters: Liam Herrick, Executive Director & Michelle Martyn, Research and Policy Officer, Irish Penal Reform Trust
“Making Change Happen in the Criminal Justice System”
Presenter: Dr. Michael Maguire, Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland
“Shannon Trust Reading Plan – Assisting the ‘Exit’ Strategy”
Presenter: Sam White, Shannon Trust
“Challenges to Reintegration: Ex-Offender Homelessness & Employability”
Presenters: Fr. Charlie Hoey, Care after Prison Project & Bríd O’Brien, Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU)
“Young men returning to the community after a period of imprisonment”
Presenter: Dr. Nicola Hughes
“The Community’s entitlement to know; the offender’s entitlement to privacy – issues for 21st Century News Media”
Presenter: Dr. Carol Coulter, Legal Affairs Editor, The Irish Times
“Electronic Monitoring and Release from Prison – Compulsory and Voluntary Models”
Presenter: Prof Mike Nellis, Emeritus Professor in Criminal Justice at the University of Strathclyde
2011 Conference Report: Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System
The launch of the ACJRD 14th Annual Conference Report, "Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System -The deliverables of the Government’s ‘Vision for Change’" took place at The Criminal Courts of Justice, Parkgate Street, Dublin on Tuesday, 3rd April, 2012.
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System - Working Together
Presenters: Jimmy Martin, Assistant Secretary, Department of Justice & Equality; & Bairbre Nic Aongusa, Director, Office for Disability & Mental Health
Keywords: Mental Health; Justice System; Health sector; Cooperation; Legislation; Garda.
Severe Mental Illness, Vision for Change and the Criminal Justice System
Presenters: Prof. Harry Kennedy, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist and Executive Clinical Director, National Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital
Keywords: Policy; Mental Illness; Health Services; Offenders; Prisons; Law Reforms.
Bringing recovery principles to the secure environment: Changes, challenges and emerging concepts
Presenter: Deborah Alred, Lead Occupational Therapist, Secure and Forensic Services, Sussex Partnership Foundation NHS Trust
Keywords: Mental Health; Recovery programmes; Forensic Settings; Offenders; Crime.
Mental Health Issues in Criminal Trials
Presenter: Dara Robinson, Partner, Sheehan & Partners
Keywords: Trials; Crime; Mental Illness; Counselling; Mental Health.
Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System - The Perspective from the IPS
Presenter: Fergal Black, Director of Healthcare, Irish Prison Service
Keywords: Criminal Justice System; IPS; Prison; Counselling; Mental Illness.
Mental Health in Prisons – Because you’re worth it
Presenter: Dr Andrew Fraser, Director of Health and Care, Scottish Prison Service
Keywords: Prison; Mental Illness; Diagnosis; Health Risks; Counselling.
The report includes the following workshop summaries:
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry – Interface with the Criminal Justice System
Presenter: Dr Keith Holmes, Consultant Psychiatrist, Lucena Clinic, Rathgar
‘Girls Behind Bars: Female Experiences of Criminal Justice’ exhibition
Presenter: Eve McDougall, Artist & Curator, Together Our Space Gallery
Prison In-reach and Court Liaison Services in Ireland
Presenter: Dr Conor O’Neill, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Central Mental Hospital
Making the Vision Visible
Presenter: Martin Rogan, Assistant National Director for Mental Health, Health Service Executive
Recovery & Growth within the Criminal Justice System
Presenter: Michele Kerrigan, Ellen Ryle, Leo Pattison, Ruairi Powell, Patricia Kenny, Area coordinators for GROW; and Paddy
Mental Health Law and The Criminal Justice System – When Two Worlds Collide
Presenter: Niall Nolan, Barrister at Law
A Northern Perspective on Mental Health Care & Legislation
Presenter: Dr Ian Bownes, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital
Youth Mental Health: Prevention and Early Intervention
Presenter: Dr Joseph Duffy, Director of Clinical Support, Headstrong
2010 Conference Report: Women in the Criminal Justice System
The ACJRD 13th Annual Conference Report: Women in the Criminal Justice System was launched by the Hon. Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness on February 16th 2011. A copy of this speech can be found here: C. McGuinness - Report Launch Speech
The Hon. Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness noted that women in the criminal justice system is an area of research and policy formation which doesn't receive a great deal of attention in Ireland. She paid tribute to the release of this timely report and drew attention to the fact that that the number of women offenders is comparatively small in the overall context of criminal offending and that the vast majority of the offences are minor.
We would like to extend our gratitude to the Hon. Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness for launching our Conference Report and for the Opening Address she presented to commence the Conference itself.
We would once again like to give special thanks to the excellent Plenary Speakers and Workshop Coordinators whose valuable insight and knowledge helped to make our 13th Annual Conference a success.
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Leadership in the Criminal Justice System, A Practitioner’s Perspective
Presenter: Chief Inspector Kathleen O’Toole - Garda Síochána Inspectorate
Keywords: Crime; Criminal Justice; Leadership; Law enforcement; Garda History.
The Promise and Challenges of Some Recent Developments Regarding Women Offenders and Community Provision in England and Wales
Presenter: Prof. Loraine Gelsthorpe - Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge
Keywords: Women Offenders; England and Wales; Community options; Women support; Women prisoners.
Working Together Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
Presenter: Eimear Fisher - Executive Director of Cosc
Keywords: Domestic Violence; Sexual Violence; Strategy; Gender; Violence
Older Women in Prison: Issues and Challenges
Presenter: Dr Azrini Wahidin - Reader in Criminology & Criminal Justice, Queen's University Belfast
Keywords: Ageing women; Older prisoners; Prison; Criminal Justice; Imprisonment.
The report includes the following workshop summaries:
Media Profiling of Women in the Criminal Justice System: North and South
Co-ordinators: Faith Gordon, PhD student, Queen's University Belfast and Lynsey Black,DIT Postgraduate MA Criminology
Prostitution in Ireland - A Changed Reality
Co-ordinators: Sarah Benson, CEO, Ruhama and Hilkka Becker, Senior Solicitor, Immigrant Council of Ireland
Gender & Policing
Co-ordinator: Mary O´Rawe, Senior Lecturer, University of Ulster
Community Based Interventions for Women Offenders in Northern Ireland
Co-ordinator: Jean O’ Neill, Manager, INSPIRE Women’s Project
Women as Victims of Intimate Partner Homicide - Links with Domestic Violence
Co-ordinators: Kate Mulkerrins, Head of Prosecution Policy Unit, Office of the DPP and Margaret Martin, Director, Women’s Aid
Mental Health Issues for Women in the CJS - Legal and Welfare Perspectives
Co-ordinators: Janice Kelly, Senior Probation Officer, Dochas Centre, Maria Mulpeter, Probation Officer, Dochas Centre and Aine Hynes, Chairperson, Irish Mental Health Lawyers Association
Education for Young Women in Detention
Co-ordinator: Anne O´Sullivan, Principal, Oberstown Education Centre
Experience of Prison for Women and Homelessness
Co-ordinators: Dr. Paula Mayock and Sarah Sheridan, Trinity College Dublin, and Dr. Christina Quinlan, Dublin City University
2009 Conference Report: Perspectives on Sex Offending - The Victim & The Offender
The ACJRD 12th Annual conference "Perspectives of Sex Offending – The Victim & the Offender" took place at the Castleknock Hotel & Country Club on October 16th 2009. Barry Andrews TD, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs launched the Conference report in the Law Society of Ireland Education Centre on Monday 15th February 2010.
We would like to extend our gratitude to Minister Andrews and to all the excellent Plenary Speakers and Workshop Coordinators whose valuable insight and knowledge helped to make our 12th Annual Conference a success.
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Opening Address
Barry Andrews T.D., Minister for Children & Youth Affairs
Investigation and Prosecution of Sexual Crimes – Scotland’s Reform
Presenter: Derek Ogg QC, Assistant Principal Advocate Depute – The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Scotland
Keywords: Sex Offenders; Sexual crimes; Scotland; Criminal Justice.
Perspectives on Investigation, Conviction and Attrition in Rape Cases
Presenter: Professor Michele Burman, Co-Director: Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) and Co-Convener of the International Centre for Gender and Women’s Studies, University of Glasgow, Scotland
Keywords: Rape; Criminal cases; Trials; Research; Scotland.
Formulating Policy on the Management of Sex Offenders
Presenter: Jimmy Martin, Assistant Secretary, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Keywords: Policy; Sex offenders; Law reform; Criminal cases.
The Effectiveness of Psychological Intervention with Men Who Commit Sexual Offences
Presenter: Dr. Gary O’Reilly, Senior Lecturer, Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology, University College Dublin
Keywords: Mental health; Sexual offences; Recidivism; Sexual violence.
2008 Conference Report: Minorities, Crime and Justice.
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Opening Address
Conor Lenihan T.D., Minister for Integration
Crime Security and the Irish Immigration System
Pat Folan, Director General, Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service
Keywords: Crime; Immigration; Ireland; INIS
Minorities and the Police Complaints Process in Ireland
Commissioner Carmel Foley, Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission
Keywords: Police; Crimes; Minorities; Ireland; Criminal Justice Systems
Crime and Ethnic Diversity
Philip Watt, Director, National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism
Keywords: Ethnic; Diversity; Crime; Racism; Ireland
Offences and Penalties in the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill 2008: Do the punishments fit the ‘crimes’?
Hilkka Becker, Senior Solicitor, Immigrant Council of Ireland
Keywords: Immigration; Offences; Crimes; Human Rights; Penalties
Gender and Crime: A Cautionary Tale
Professor Frances Heidensohn, London School of Economics
Keywords: Crime; Gender; Women Offenders; Feminist Criminology
Supporting Victims of Hate Crime – Prevention, Reporting and Practical Action
Linda Hutchinson, Race Relations – Community Cohesion Unit, Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Keywords: Hate Crime; Victims; Crime prevention; Racism
Minorities and Youth Justice: An Irish Concern?
Nicola Carr, Children’s Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin
Keywords: Youth; Minorities; Youth Justice; Ireland
Marginalised Communities and Justice: An Irish Case Study
David Joyce, BL
Keywords: Communities; Ireland; Ethnic Communities; Marginalised communities; Discrimination
2007 Conference Report: Community, Custody and Aftercare
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Opening Address
Seán Aylward, Secretary General, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
A psychological profile of young people who engage in criminal conduct
Dr Jennifer Hayes, Senior Psychologist, Health Service Executive
Keywords: Crime; Young Offenders; Youth; Psychology; Disabilities
Social inclusion, social capital and reintegration
Dr Fergus McNeill, Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research
Keywords: Social inclusion; Reintegration; Prisoners; Desistance.
After-dinner speaker
Kathleen O’Toole, Chief Inspector, Garda Síochána Inspectorate
Keywords: Police; Crime; Ireland; Offenders
Homelessness and offending: marginalisation, segregation and the challenges to social inclusion
Dr Mairead Seymour, School of Social Sciences and Law, Dublin Institute of Technology
Keywords: Segregation; Homelessness; Offenders; Social Inclusion; Marginalisation.
Irish detention services for the twenty-first century
Mary Geaney, National Manager, Detention School Services, Irish Youth Justice Service
Keywords: Ireland; Children; Social inclusion; Detention; IYJS
Government thinking in Northern Ireland on social inclusion and the way forward under a shared future
Brian Rowntree, Chairperson, Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Keywords: Community; Support; Youth programmes; Ireland
A community response – moving forward step by step
Elaine Slattery, Céim ar Chéim
Keywords: Community; Support: Youth support: Offences
2006 Conference Report: Re-integration of offenders
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Opening Address
Martin Tansey, Chairperson, ACJRD
Prisoner Reintegration - Challenges and Opportunities
Mr Brian Purcell, Director, Irish Prison Service
Keywords: Prison; Reintegration; Prisoners; Crime; IPS
How Far is the Treatment of Offenders led by Public Opinion?
Mr. Gordon Holmes, Chairperson, Parole Board
Keywords: Offenders; Public opinion; Policy; Crime
A Chance to Change – A Probation Approach to Effective Offender Integration
Mr. Michael Donnellan, Director, Probation Service
Keywords: Probation; Crime; Offenders; Integration; Ireland
Life After Prison – The Reality of Reintegration
Ms. Lisa Cuthbert, Director, PACE
Keywords: Reintegration; Prison; Offenders; Prisoners; Offences
“Saying Sorry” or “Making Things Right”: From Passive to Active Responsibility in Work with Young Offenders
Dr. Shadd Maruna, Institute of Criminology & Criminal Justice, Queen’s University Belfast
Keywords: Youth; Young Offenders; Crime; Desistance
2005 Conference Report: How Effective is the Management of Offenders
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Keynote Speaker
Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness, Supreme Court & President of the Law Reform Commission
The Principle Deficit in Non-Custodial Sanctions
Professor Dermot Walsh, University of Limerick
Keywords: Non-custodial sanctions; Custody; Fines; Ireland; Community Service.
Putting Prison in its Place
Dr. Ian O’Donnell, Institute of Criminology, University College Dublin
Keywords: Prison; Offenders; Crime; Prison Sentences.
Current Developments in Youth Conferencing and Restorative Justice in Northern Ireland
His Hon. Judge David Smyth Q.C.
Keywords: Restorative Justice; Northern Ireland; Youth Offenders; Crime.
Reducing the Use of Custody: Strategies to Promote the Use of Alternatives to Imprisonment
Dr. Julian V. Roberts, Centre for Criminology, University of Oxford
Keywords: Custodial sentences; Imprisonment; Crime; Criminal Justice.
Crime, Courts and Confidence – The Challenge to Change
Cedric Fullwood, Chair, Cheshire Probation Board
Keywords: Criminal Courts; Crime; Penal System; Crime Control
2004 Conference Report: Positive Interventions and Effective Use of Sanctions for Offenders
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Opening Address
Martin Tansey, Chairperson IASD
Keynote Speaker
The Hon. Mr. Justice Joseph Finnegan, President of the High Court
Sentencing and Sanctions - Finland’s Experience
Professor Tapio Lappi-Seppälä, Nat. Research Institute of Legal Policy, Finland
Keywords: Finland; Sanctions; Criminal Justice; Legal Policy; Crime policy.
Risk in Irish Society: moving to a crime control model of criminal justice
Dr Shane Kilcommins, University College Cork
Keywords: Ireland; Crime control; Criminal Justice; Criminology.
Reducing re-offending: community punishments and programmes
Donald G. Evans, President, Canadian Training Institute
Keywords: Punishment: Re-offending; Rehabilitation; Community programmes; Recidivism
The Manualisation of Offender Treatment
Dr. Mary McMurran, School of Psychology, Cardiff University
Keywords: Mental Health; Offender; Counselling; Treatment programmes.
2003 Conference Report: The Children Act, 2001 Effective Family Conferencing : The challenges and implications for Ireland in the new legal environment.
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Opening Address
Brian Lenihan TD
The Children Act, 2001: Overview and Current Position
Frances Spillane and Éimear Fisher, National Children’s Office
Keywords: National Children’s Strategy, Children Act 2001
The Balanced Approach to Restorative Justice
Alice Chapman, Youth Conference Service, Northern Ireland
Keywords: Youth Conference Service, Youth Justice Agency, Restorative Justice, Diversion
Early and Collaborative Intervention
Jim McGrath, NetCare Consultancy
Keywords: Family Group Conferencing, Restorative Justice,
Family Welfare Conferencing and the Children Act, 2001
John O’Riordan, Family Welfare Conference Service
Keywords: Family Welfare Conference
Family Conferencing
Suzanne Vella, Probation and Welfare Service
Keywords: Broadening the scope of the Probation and Welfare Service, Family Conferencing
Restorative Justice – Designing a Garda Model
Chief Supt. Patrick Cregg, An Garda Síochána
Keywords: Diversion Programme, Restorative Justice
The Special Residential Services Board: Role and Function
Roger Killeen, Special Residential Services Board
Keywords: Special Care Order, Special Residential Services Board
Closing Address
Martin N. Tansey
2002 Conference Report: Youth Justice - Human rights-needs
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Opening Address
Mr Martin N. Tansey
Keynote Address
Mr Brian Lenihan TD
Keywords: Youth Justice, Youth Crime, Welfare Model, Justice Model
The Rights of Children in Conflict with the Law
Dr Ursula Kilkelly
Keywords: Children; Crime; Childrens' Rights; Criminal Law
Young People, Homicide and General Implications
Ms Kate Akester
Keywords: Young offenders; Crime; Homicide; Criminal Trials.
The Path of a ‘Child at Risk’ to a ‘Teenager in Trouble’
Mr Padraic White
Keywords: Teenagers; Children; Offences; Ireland; Criminal Justice System
2001 Conference Report: Drugs, Alcohol and Youth Crime
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Keynote Address
Judge James O’Sullivan
Keywords: Court-ordered alcohol treatment, Harristown House, Crime, Addiction
The National Perspective
Mr. Eoin Ryan T.D.
Keywords: Youth Crime; Drugs; Addiction; Alcohol.
Drugs, Alcohol and Youth Crime: Is it Any Wonder?
Judge Gerard Haughton
Keywords: Addiction; Crime; Drugs; Ireland; Young Offenders;
The Garda Síochána Perspective
Chief Supt. Catherine Clancy
Keywords: An Garda Síochána; Community; Ireland; Addiction
Exclusion to Inclusion: Young Offenders in Scotland
Mr. Dan Gunn
Keywords: Scotland; Exclusion; Inclusion; Young Offenders; Prisoners.
2000 Conference Report: Perspective on Juvenile Justice
The report includes the following plenary papers:
Opening Address
Minister Mary Hanafin TD
Keywords: Social Workers, Children Bill 1999, Recruitment for "Caring Professions"
Keynote Address: Social Inclusion for All
Eddie Sullivan
Keywords: Social inclusion; Policies; Family; Disadvantage; Poverty; Ireland
Keynote Address: Reflections on ‘What Works’
Jack Holland
Keywords: Young offenders; Probation; Community Service; Restorative processes.
Keynote Address: Partnership in Practice
Owen Keenan
Keywords: Prevention; Young offenders; Children; Families; Partnership.