Lynn Ruane wrote an article for The Journal yesterday criticising a new bill proposing to allow the introduction of ‘incapacitant sprays,’ such as pepper spray, in Irish prisons, for use by prison employees in conflict situations because, as Senator Ruane writes, while a reduction in violence is a “positive aim,” “you cannot reduce violence through inherently violent means”.
Reader, this is what I like to refer to as a position of faux-compassion, in which the speaker appears to be expressing a moral, commendable sentiment, but in reality is proposing something that would do great harm to those who could benefit most from intervention.
I don’t doubt that Ms Ruane is sincere, and genuinely believes her position that giving prison officers tools to more effectively incapacitate violent inmates would be a bad thing because it perpetuates violence – as though there weren’t a difference between conflict born of protecting someone and conflict born of assaulting someone – but she is nevertheless dead wrong.
As she points out in her article, while there are contradictory reports about whether violence against prison staff is rising or falling, that prisoner-on-prisoner violence is increasing is a firmly established trend:
“Turning to prisoner-on-prisoner violence, there has been a concerning 31% increase in direct physical assaults by prisoners on other prisoners over the same period [2023-2024], a significant rise.
“Upon closer examination of the data, it becomes evident that these trends are firmly established in Irish prisons. Figures released by the IPS in 2023 indicated a 14% decrease in physical assaults by prisoners on staff between 2022 and 2023, but conversely, a significant rise in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults was observed, with an increase of 74%.”
This means that between 2022 and 2024, there has been a 105 percent increase in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults in Irish prisons.
A serious development, you might say.
Anyway, she writes that while that phenomenon requires further analysis and “targeted responses” to the end of greater safety for all parties in prison environments, she does not believe that that’s something that can be achieved through “the lawful use of violent means”.
One would have to ask, if the “lawful use of violent means” cannot be justified in stopping prisoners from assaulting other prisoners, which seems to me to be a situation in which the lawful use of violence is perfectly reasonable, what other situations would Senator Ruane say the “lawful use of violent means” isn’t justified in? Forcibly stopping an assault in the street? Detaining a thief forcibly?
Regardless, the real issue Senator Ruane identifies as being responsible for compromising security in Irish prisons is “chronic overcrowding,” which, for what it’s worth, I agree is very likely a contributing factor to rising assaults among prisoners. She cites data from the UK that makes the case that there’s a link between overcrowding and increased violence, stating that “prisoners in overcrowded cells being 19% more likely to be involved in an assault”.
You’ll be hard pressed to find someone – I certainly haven’t found them – who suggests that prison overcrowding isn’t an issue. I suspect Ms Ruane is probably of the opinion, although I don’t know for certain, that we should look at releasing some prisoners early, or sending less to prison in the first place. The is certainly the preference of the Irish Penal Reform Trust, which she cites approvingly on one occasion in her article.
I, probably along with a majority of our readers, think we should build more prisons, and that contrary to popular, progressive belief, that’s the most humane option for both prisoners and the general public. It would provide much needed breathing room for prisoners, and for those responsible in ensuring that their inherent dignity is respected while they undergo their sentences.
What’s done about the actual, rising violence, in the meantime though, is very much up for debate.
It would seem that the practical outworking of the position expressed by Senator Ruane is to leave the prisoners suffering increased assaults to their fate while a more pleasing solution is developed by those who have the luxury of sitting around to think about it. Or, less sophisticated but more effective in the short term, is equipping prison officers with enhanced means to end conflict.
It’s not nice, but then, who’s saying that it is? Despite being entirely out of vogue, sometimes fighting violence with violence is precisely what the moment calls for. Not all violence is equal, and while an ideal world would see less of it, we don’t live in an ideal world.
The application of just force against unjust aggressors will have to do for the time being.
Loading ...