On-going MPhil / PhD research projects
Patricia Orr
The 17 year follow-up of the Dublin Child Development Study
Kalis Pope
Young people's experiences of crime
Siobhan Keegan
An Ecological Study of the Impact of Early Childhood Educational Experiences at Age Four and Age Seven on Outcomes at Age Sixteen
Cathy Kelleher
Minority Stress and Health: Implications for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Young People
Jan Pettersen
ICT in the early years - a study into the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in Irish pre-school settings
Sylvia Hoare
Reintegrating Young Adult Ex-Prisoners: The Role and Significance of the Community Context
Tara Lehane
Training to Work in Partnership with Parents in Early Years Services
Amanda Moynihan
Sectoral Essentialism: investigating how institutional type affects academic work-life
Jackie Bourke
Not Seen or Heard - Children in the 21st Century Ireland: Has Media Coverage Impacted on Children's Loss of Freedom to Play Outside?
Maria Lahiff
Reducing Youth Offending: The Role, requirements and Context of Parental Responsibility
Darach Murphy
Why do some men talk and others do not?
Siobhan Harkin
Strategic Alliances in Irish Higher Education – A Policy Analysis
Martin Quigley
Policy-Making and Criminal Justice in Ireland: Exploring the drivers of change in the area of prisoner reintegration
Colette Barry
Death and the prison officer: A study of Irish prison officers’ experiences of prisoner fatalities
Kate O' Hara
Community service orders versus short custodial sentences: Examining risk, reconviction and need
Kalis Pope, PhD candidate
An Investigation into the Experiences of Victimisation among Irish Youth
Supervisor: Dr. Kevin Lalor
Background
This project aims to investigate the experiences of victimisation among Irish youth. It is the first empirical investigation into youth victimisation in Ireland and is one of three research projects that were established under the Youth Crime Research Project: Young People's Experiences of Crime at DIT. The study of victims, or victimology, is still a relatively new discipline. Victimology emerged from the seminal works of Hans von Hentig and Benjamin Mendelsohn during the 1940s and 1950s. Though some theorists have proposed expanding victimology to incorporate the study of victims of, for example, discrimination or environmental disasters, the study of victims of crime remains the primary focus of victimology. Victim surveys are of particular interest to this study and were first introduced to the field approximately forty years ago. These surveys have helped to illuminate the 'dark figure' of crime through ascertaining individual's experiences of victimisation, while simultaneously collecting pertinent information regarding their own level of criminality and faith in the criminal justice system. A common failure among the majority of victim surveys, however, is that they do not investigate the experiences of young people. This project seeks to address this deficiency and other areas that have been neglected in previous research.
The primary objectives of this project are:
1) To analyse both the nature and extent of youth victimisation, through carrying out a victim survey
2) To investigate correlations between victimisation risk factors and deviant behaviour, as well as associations between victims and offenders
3) To explore the roles parenting and routine activities/lifestyle choices play in determining risks of youth victimisation
Project Outcome
Recent British research has shown that young people are six times more likely than adults to have property stolen, three times more likely to have their property vandalised and one and a half times as likely to be the victims of violence. The need for more research on youth victimisation is clear. This research will be instrumental in the future development of a nationwide self-report survey of youth experiences of crime in Ireland. It will also facilitate the implementation of intervention/victim support programmes designed specifically for young people.
Contact:
Tel.: 01-402-3472
Fax: 01-402-3499
E-Mail: kalis.pope@dit.ie
Patricia Orr, M. Phil. candidate
The 17 year Follow-up of the Dublin Child Development Study
Supervisor: Dr. Dorit W. Deering
The Dublin Child Development Study, the first and only substantial Irish longitudinal investigation of children’s adaptive functioning, began in 1986 as a joint collaboration between Trinity College, Harvard University and the Dublin Institute of Technology. To date, seven data-collection stages have been completed , the last being in 1996 when the participants were 10 years old.
Primary objectives
To establish the developmental status and competence of 17 year old Dublin adolescents (n=96 mother/infant dyads) from a predominantly lower socio-economic background.
To examine whether early child competence predicts developmental status and adaptive functioning at 17 years of age.
To establish whether antecedent and/or concurrent socio-contextual factors moderate the predicted link between early and later competence.
Implications of the project
The findings will facilitate the identification of opportunities for early intervention and prevention which will guide future policy and service provision.
Contact:
Email: patricia.orr@dit.ie
Siobhan Keegan, PhD candidate
An Ecological Study of the Impact of Early Childhood Educational Experiences at Age Four and Age Seven on Outcomes at Age Sixteen
Supervisor: Dr. Kevin Lalor & Professor Noirin Hayes
Background
This study focuses on a longitudinal sample of Irish children at four, seven and sixteen-years of age. The sample was drawn from the larger IEA Preprimary Project database , which consisted of children in designated disadvantaged (DD) and non-designated disadvantaged (NDD) preschools and schools from across the country. The study aimed to identify and analyse the factors in an early educational setting that have an impact on children’s development as measured at age 7 and age 16, while taking into account the dynamic effect of their ecological context on developmental outcomes. A longitudinal design was used to ascertain how and why children develop in the contexts of home and school in Ireland. While the tracking of children through the developmental trajectory is not a new research phenomenon, such tracking had not been possible in a large Irish school sample. To date, no other Irish researcher has tracked an extensive school sample from the age of four through to sixteen, thus there is a paucity of research findings on the long-term educational outcomes of attending school in Ireland.
Moreover, the fact that the sample was divided between designated disadvantaged and non-designated disadvantaged schools allowed for inferences to be made about the impact of disadvantage on developmental outcomes. The relative impact of disadvantage on developmental outcomes in an early educational context has already been demonstrated by large scale studies such as the Perry Preschool Project, Abecedarian Project (Campbell et al., 2002). In some cases, life effects have been demonstrated through to the age of forty (Schweinhart, 2005).
The research question is four-pronged: what are the experience factors at age 4 that impact on development at age 7, what is the impact of these factors on developmental outcomes at age 7, what are the experience factors at age 4 and age 7 that impact on developmental outcomes at age 16 and what is the impact of these factors on developmental outcomes at the age of 16? Developmental outcomes at age 16 were classified along the lines of academic achievement, school-connectedness and adolescent resilience. The inclusion of a measure of academic achievement was designed to maintain a continuation of the language and cognitive developmental outcome variables that were obtained at ages 4 and 7. A measure of resilience should be considered as a way of incorporating the dynamic aspect of adolescent development into a quantitative study of educational development. The research is due for completion in mid 2007 and may result in some related research publications.
Contact details
Tel: 01-402 4268
Fax: 01-402 4263
Email: siobhan.keegan@dit.ie
Cathy Kelleher, PhD candidate
Minority Stress and Health: Implications for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Young People
Supervisor: Dr Kevin Lalor
This research aims to gain an understanding of the experience of minority stress and its complex relationship to psychological distress for young people in Ireland who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT). Little is known about the lives of this group, because historically LGBT individuals have been underrepresented or ignored in Irish society. This ‘invisibility’ has stemmed for the stigmatisation of sexual orientations other than heterosexual, and gender identities that do not conform to society’s expectations. Within a minority stress conceptualisation, stigma leads to a variety of stressors which can have negative health outcomes. For LGBT persons, stigma-related prejudice and discrimination constitute unique, socially-induced stressors that have been linked to psychological distress (e.g. Meyer, 1995). Young people may be especially vulnerable to minority stress.
The research aims are as follows:
- To understand the relationship between sexual identity / transgender identity and psychological health for young people inIrelandwho are LGBT.
- To understand the experience of minority stress for young people inIrelandwho are LGBT.
- To understand the relationship between minority stress and psychological distress for LGBT young people.
- To reveal resiliency factors that mediate against ill-health.
This research is approached using a minority stress framework and a parallel mixed methods research design that is implemented from a transformative perspective (Mertens, 2012). It is envisaged that this research will provide a voice for LGBT young people in Irelandand will provide empirical findings that may be linked to practical outcomes. In Phase 1, quantitative data were gathered via an online survey which was carried out to investigate the extent to which LGBT young people experience minority stress, the relationship between minority stress and psychological distress, and the relationship between psychological distress and sexual orientation. Key findings were published in the international journal Counselling Psychology Quarterly (2009).
Kelleher, C. (2009). Minority stress and health: Implications for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 22(4), 373-379.
In Phase 2, the photovoice participatory action research strategy is being employed in order to gain a deeper understanding of the experience of minority stress processes through the eyes of LGBT young people. The blending of quantitative and qualitative data aims to draw on the strengths of both to produce a more complete knowledge. Findings from both phases will be compared and contrasted as appropriate with the goal of adding insights and understandings that may not have been accessible using either method alone
The research is due to be completed in 2013.
Contact
Tel.: 01-4024265
Jan Pettersen, M Phil candidate
ICT in the early years - a study into the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in Irish pre-school settings
Supervisor: Dr. Ann Marie Halpenny
Advisory Supervisor: Ms. Anne Fitzpatrick
Description of the research
The primary aim of the research project is to study pedagogy and practice in the use of ICT in early years settings.
Secondary aims include the promotion of equality and inclusive practice in the use of ICT, young children's opportunity to learn about and with information and communications technology in Ireland and the support for professional development for staff within the area of ICT
Sample
The sample will be drawn from private, voluntary and community early childhood services in the greater Dublin area.
Methodology
A multi-method approach involving observations, observations and in-depth interviews with staff and Children will be used in the study.
Outcomes
The concept of introducing ICT to young children in a pre-school environment is still relatively new and perhaps because of this, no research has been carried out on the subject of ICT, in its broadest definition, to date in Ireland. From this point of view, the project will stand alone as an important insight into an emerging area within Early Childhood Education (ECE), which is attributed increasing value and validity.
Contact Details
Email: jan.pettersen@dit.ie
Phone: + 353 1 4024278
Sylvia Hoare, PhD candidate
Reintegrating Young Adult Ex-Prisoners: The Role and Significance of the Community Context
Supervisor: Dr. Mairead Seymour
Background
Reintegration as it is most commonly referred to in criminological literature describes the process which occurs throughout and/or after a custodial sentence 'to facilitate the offender's return to "normal" community living' (Josi and Sechrest, 1999:54). Previous studies on reintegration have focused only on preparing individuals for release while in custody (Barton and Butts, 1990; Fagan, 1990; Goodstein and Sontheimer, 1997). This study is original because it aims to explore the significance and role of the community when reintegrating young adult ex-prisoners.
The importance of examining the community context of reintegration is highlighted by research suggesting a sizeable proportion of repeat committals to Irish prisons come from a small number of geographical communities (O'Mahony, 1997; NESF, 2002). Furthermore, the significance of the community context is brought to the fore by new provisions introduced under the Children Act, 2001 which will result in young people being placed in custody for shorter periods of time and therefore spending longer periods in the community. It is within this context that the study sets out to examine the impact of the community on re-offending and reintegration amongst young adult offenders.
Principal Objectives
- To explore the meaning of community from the ex-prisoner's perspective, in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the context for reintegration.
- To examine the impact of community factors on the successful reintegration of ex-prisoners.
- To investigate the relationship between supports and/or barriers to reintegration in the community and the likelihood of desistance and persistence with offending.
Methodolgy
The emerging 'convict perspective' (Richards and Ross, 2001), in criminological discourse allows problems to be conceptualised and solutions to be identified from the prisoner's viewpoint and therefore seeks to 'give voice to the men and women who live behind prison walls' (Richard and Jones, 2004:201). Harding highlights the importance of meeting with offenders in their own community, describing how 'as you walk through the wind canyon between the tower blocks of an estate you begin to understand his territory, his perspectives a little better' (2000:140).
A qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews of young adult male and female ex-prisoners aged between 16 and 21 in their own communities, will enable observations to be made 'in a more natural open-ended way' (Punch, 1998:185). Jorgensen (2003:24) argues that the methodology of observation is appropriate 'when the meanings people use to define and interact with their ordinary environment are central issues'. To this end the structural and physical features of the community will be observed and recorded so as to understand its meaning and significance for those attempting reintegration.
Rationale
At an international level, the reintegration of offenders is widely acknowledged to be one of the most under-researched areas within the study of criminology (Cavender and Knapper, 1992; Josi and Sechrest, 1999; Meisel, 2001).
In Ireland, the dearth of empirical research on Irish criminal justice has been identified as hindering the effective development of the system (Burke et al., 1981, O'Sullivan, 1996, O'Mahony, 2000) and has resulted in policy development in a 'research vacuum' (O'Sullivan, 1996:5). The National Economic and Social Forum highlighted in their 2002 Reintegration of Prisoners report, the urgent need for research to inform reintegration policy and practice in the Republic of Ireland in order to more effectively meet the needs of prisoners on their release from custody.
This study will address the identified gap. Firstly it will provide a detailed account of the profile of young adult ex-prisoners and the communities to which they return. Secondly, it will provide an in-depth analysis of the facilitators and that which impedes successful reintegration from the prisoner's perspective. Essentially, it will make a scholarly contribution to this otherwise neglected area of criminological discourse.
Contact details
Email: sylviaehoare@eircom.net
Tara Lehane, MPhil candidate
Training to work in partnership with parents in early years services
Supervisor: Anne Fitzpatrick
Context
International research has consistently found that good parent-staff relationships in early years services benefit children, parents and staff. For successful partnership, practitioners need professional training. The training of early years practitioners is a growing area in Ireland with a rapid increase in training at levels 5 through to 8.
Aims
The aim of this study is to investigate partnership with parents in early childhood services in Ireland from a training perspective. The project will investigate current Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) training provision through course content and the readiness of graduates to cope with the challenges of successful parental involvement. An attempt will be made to identify aspects of best practice through examination of international research and practice as well as a survey of the views of parents.
Sample
The sample of educational institutions will be across Ireland with some investigation into international training models.
Methodology
Investigation into training will be through surveys and interviews of course providers and graduating students. The views of parents will be explored through focus groups.
Results
The study aims to produce baseline data on a) types and levels of training for working with parents offered in Irish early education training programmes, b) graduate readiness and c) parental experience of partnership. It is hoped that through these investigations an overview of models of best practice and recommendations for future training programmes will be produced.
Contacts
tara.lehane@student.dit.ie
Tel: 402 3472
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Amanda Moynihan, PhD candidate
Sectoral Essentialism: investigating how institutional type affects academic work-life
Supervisor: Professor Ellen Hazelkorn
This research seeks to explore the extent to which higher education institutional type is an influencing factor on the macro and micro features of academic work-life in Ireland.
The research draws upon the beliefs of Irish academic staff about macro objective features of current Irish academic work-life, such as managerialism and knowledge production and macro subjective features, such as academic values, academic roles and academic working conditions all of which are defined in Irish higher education policy. It also examines other macro features including grade inflation and clarity of expectations for academic staff and micro features such as morale and desire to leave the job, which have been described in the higher education literature.
The questions that this research aims to answer are as follows:
- Are academic staff’s beliefs about the current features of academic work-life different depending on institutional type?
- Are the relationships between the current features of academic work-life different depending on institutional type?
- How much of an influence is institutional type on each of the current features of academic work-life when other influences (e.g. discipline type) are considered?
- How does the factual data about academic work-life differ depending on institutional type?
Contact
amanda_moynihan@hotmail.com
Jackie Bourke, PhD candidate
Shrinking worlds – how do children perceive their independent spatial mobility in an urban context?
Supervisors: Professor Nóirín Hayes and Dr. Brian O’Neill
The aim of this study is to explore how children living in an urban area perceive their independent spatial mobility. While there is considerable research on children and the loss of independent spatial mobility, there is a lack of literature on how children themselves perceive their independent spatial mobility. The lack of information on how children see their play freedoms has restricted understandings of ‘the complexity of children’s mobility’ and therefore limited possibilities of addressing the issue of the loss of freedom (Mikkelsen and Christensen 2009: 58). This study seeks to address that gap in our knowledge and to shed some light on how children living in a contemporary, recently regenerated urban area perceive their independent spatial mobility in order to make recommendations on how future urban development might more effectively meet the needs of children.
Contact:
Maria Lahiff, PhD Candidate
Reducing Youth Offending: The role and context of parental responsibility
Supervisor: Dr. Mairéad Seymour
Background to Study
Rhetoric, discussion and debate of the juvenile justice system has emphasised parental responsibility without equal acknowledgement of the supports required to prevent youth offending or the social context in which it occurs .
Irish parents are increasingly being held responsible for their children’s offending and anti-social behaviour. Recent court orders have been introduced via the Children Act 2001 that hold parents directly accountable for their children’s actions. On the one hand these laws have been welcomed for being tough on the causes of crime, while on the other they have been criticised for being inflexible and for providing little consideration for the context and supports needed by families to prevent their young people from offending (Goldson & Jamieson 2002; Arthur 2005). A noteworthy gap in the literature relates to the absence of the parents’ perspectives on the supports that they require to become more effective in assisting their children not to offend.
Aims and Objectives of this Study
The aim of this study is to provide a narrative from parents of young offenders in an effort to gain a rich, qualitative insight into what their life is like and what supports they identify as being necessary in order for youth offending to be reduced in their family and community.
Through a series of semi-structured interviews and qualitative analysis of the results it is envisaged that this research will provide a rich and nuanced account from the central actors involved in the issue of tackling anti-social and delinquent behaviour.
Contact details
Tel: 01 4024268
Email: lahiff.maria@gmail.com
Address: DIT, Room 323, 40-45 Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1.
Darach Murphy, PhD candidate
Why do some men talk and others do not?
Supervisor: Dr Rosaleen McElvaney
Background
At least in English speaking societies, a common perception prevails that when it comes to health, and psychological health in particular, men don’t talk’. This ‘not talking’ behaviour is thought to result in poor health care practices which impacts negatively on the health of individual males, their families as well as the communities and societies in which they reside.
Objectives
This study aims to explore the perception that men ‘don’t talk’. A systematic review of the literature will be conducted in order to examine the evidence surrounding men and their ability or non-ability to discuss, reveal and disclose their thoughts and feelings concerning their health. Both Qualitative and Quantitative research will be included in this Literature Review with particular emphasis directed at illuminating underlying assumptions in research. Subsequently individual men and Men’s Groups will be invited to take part in this research in the hope of contributing to our understanding of men and communication practices they employ regarding their health.
Methodology
An Inclusive Research paradigm, consistent with Dublin Institute of Technology’s ‘Students Learning With Communities’ initiative will be used. This overarching approach will endeavour to include participating men in all aspects of the research project. Thus a Grounded Theory methodology will be employed which will allow research design and implementation to emerge following consultation and collaboration with participants. Participants will be partners in this project and will be stakeholders in the resulting thesis and any enterprises that flow from it. Thus this endeavour must be accessible to them. To do so, a website featuring text, video, and audio components will accompany this project.
Contact
darach.murphy@mydit.ie
Tel.: 01-4024265
Siobhan Harkin
Title: Strategic Alliances in Irish Higher Education – A Policy Analysis
This research analyses strategic inter-institutional cooperation amongst Irish higher education institutes (HEIs), in the context of government policies and programmes.
Collaboration has been a feature of funded activity amongst HEIs since the inception particularly of the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions and the Strategic Innovation Fund, whereby collaborative initiatives were incentivised. More recently, strategic alliances have developed between HEIs, including proposed mergers and clustering of institutes in response to the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 (Hunt Report).
The thesis has two objectives: firstly to provide a detailed analysis of HEI alliance formation over the duration of the project and secondly to examine and contribute to public policy development on structuring Irish Higher Education.
To achieve the first objective, a comprehensive map of inter-institutional cooperation amongst Irish HEIs will be carried out to establish a baseline. In order to do so, an overview and understanding of terminology is required. An array of terms is currently in use in Ireland to describe HEI cooperation, such as “strategic alliance”, “alliance”, “cluster”, “consortium”, “network”, and “partnership”. Since the publication of the Hunt Report, we can add “amalgamation” and “merger” to this list. The basis for the use of a particular term to describe an inter-institutional cooperation is not clear and terms appear to be used interchangeably. One aim therefore, of this research, is to develop a clear map of the different types of arrangements that exist in an Irish context and define inter-institutional arrangements, drawing from international experience.
To achieve the second objective, the relationships between institutional decisions towards alliances, clusters and mergers and public policy development will be conceptualised in light of public policy theories. Policy development will be tracked in real-time, using multiple methods of data collection including observation of the policy development process, the use of institutional documentation, in-depth interviews and.
By analysing specific policy development and implementation in relation to mergers and clustering in Irish HE, focus will be on the roles of various actors in the HE system (government, agencies, individual institutions, and their representative bodies), and their interactions. The formation of strategic alliances amongst Irish HEIs will be analysed within the frames of regional development, the knowledge economy and the rationalisation of the public service. The in-depth analysis of policy development will help answer the question "how did Irish Government policies and programmes towards mergers, clusters and alliances develop and what was the response of the Higher Education system?”
Contact
sharkin@wit.ie
Martin Quigley, PhD Candidate
Policy-Making and Criminal Justice in Ireland: Exploring the drivers of change in the area of prisoner reintegration.
Supervisor: Dr. Mary Rogan
Advisory Supervisor: Dr. Kevin Lalor
Background
In Ireland, little is known about criminal justice policy formation. This research will examine the policy process and the factors impacting upon the creation of policy in the area of prisoner reintegration.
Specifically, the project will examine the process behind the enactment of section 26 of the Criminal Justice Act (2007) and section 26A of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act (2009). This will be done in order to discover the reasons and rationale behind their introduction and to appraise the policy process by which they came to be made. This analysis will act as a case study by which contemporary Irish criminal justice policy formation will be assessed, providing insights on the process and the influences of particular individuals, groups or ideas. Further, by studying two separate ministerial epochs the study shall have the opportunity to compare how differing political styles, as well as differing social contexts can influence the policy making process.
Research Aims
This project aims to uncover, analyze and describe the drivers of change behind prisoner re-integration policy and indeed, criminal justice legislation more generally. This shall be done through answering the following research questions;
- What were the processes leading to the enactment of section 26 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007, and S.26A of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009, which introduced new forms of monitoring and restraints on those released from imprisonment?
- What and who were the main influences on these processes?
- Did the policy process involve consideration of empirical evidence/research on the effectiveness of the new legislation?
- Were the policy actors influenced by international experience, legislation or policies from abroad?
e-mail: martin.quigley1@mydit.ie
Colette Barry, PhD Candidate
Death and the prison officer: A study of Irish prison officers’ experiences of prisoner fatalities
Supervisor: Dr Mary Rogan
Advisory Supervisor: Dr Kevin Lalor
Background:
Prisoner fatalities are by no means rare occurrences in this jurisdiction; ninety-five prisoners died in Irish prisons in the past decade. When a prisoner dies in custody, prison officers will be the first to respond and are often called upon to contribute to the various internal and external investigations into a death. Their enduring and intense involvement in all stages of the process means that officers who have dealt with an inmate fatality in the course of their duties will have rich and varied experiences. While the prison officer undoubtedly occupies a role of huge significance in the context of inmate fatalities, and within the prison system as a whole, their experiences and cultures have historically received limited research attention. Recent years have seen the emergence of a number of international studies focusing on staff experiences and perceptions of their roles, however a research vacuum persists in Ireland. This research seeks to contribute to address this empirical deficit, as well as contributing to the burgeoning body of international work.
Objectives:
This study seeks to explore Irish prison officers’ experiences of inmate fatalities. In doing so, the study will endeavour to examine three succinct areas of interest; officers’ experiences of dealing with a prisoner’s death in the course of their duties, the existence of a staff culture that inhibits officers’ emotional responses to these deaths, and the nature of staff contact with existing support services. The research aims will be achieved by conducting a series of semi-structured interviews with both serving and retired Irish prison officers.
This research is funded by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Contact:
Kate O'Hara, PhD Candidate
Community service orders versus short custodial sentences: Examining risk, reconviction and need.
Supervisor: Dr Mary Rogan
Advisory Supervisor: Dr Kevin Lalor
Background/Rationale:
Short custodial sentences have been deemed ineffective in terms of rehabilitation or reducing recidivism (Ministry of Justice, 2010; Lowithan, 2010; The Howard League 2011). The introduction of The Criminal Justice (Community Service) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2011 in Ireland requires courts to give greater consideration to community service orders (CSOs) in cases where custodial sentences of less than 12 months are deemed appropriate. Community service orders were introduced in Ireland in 1984, and are used as direct alternatives to prison sentences. They give an offender the opportunity to complete unpaid work (between 40 and 240 hours) in the community instead of a prison sentence (Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, 2010). Current government policy aims to increase the number of CSOs in order to reduce the high costs associated with short-term imprisonment (Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, 2010; IPRT, 2012). However, there is a dearth of empirical research around the efficacy of community sentences in Ireland. To date, only a few studies have examined community sentencing in Ireland. Walshe and Sexton in 1999 assessed the operation of the CSO scheme. More recently, The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (2009) found there was capacity for an extensive increase in the use of CSOs nationally. The Probation Service (2012) found that recidivism among a cohort of offenders receiving CSOs was lower than those receiving a probation order. However, these studies have not assessed the efficacy of CSOs compared to custodial sanctions, nor investigated the profile of offender for whom CSOs are most effective. It may be that CSOs work to reduce re-offending in some groups of offenders, but not for others. This project proposes that an examination of the profile of offenders receiving community sentences is required, which, combined with analysis of re-offending data, will provide a richer understanding of the impact of CSOs. This research will be relevant to policy makers, government officials, the academic community as well as a wider audience concerned with the challenge of redirecting offenders from prison to the community.
Objectives:
1. To examine the range and efficacy of alternatives to short-term prison sentences available in Ireland and across the world, as well as, factors that influence desistance from offending.
2. To examine the profile of offenders receiving short-term custodial sentences, and those receiving CSOs (instead of custodial sentences).
3. To investigate what motivates people to desist from offending
4. To investigate re-offending rates of those receiving short-term custodial sentences compared to those receiving CSOs, using a matched sample.
Design:
This research will employ a mixed method of analysis, using qualitative and quantitative methods of data analysis.
Funding:
This project is supported by the Irish Research Council Employment Based Postgraduate Scholarship in conjunction with The Irish Penal Reform Trust.
Contact:
tel.: (01) 4024268
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