The Irish justice system has virtually no impact on helping young people to escape from a life of crime, according to a study by the Centre for Social and Educational Research at the Dublin Institute of Technology. It is not a new insight. But this time the conclusion is based on cold statistics, and it cannot be avoided by vested interests.
There is now an inescapable need for root-and-branch reform involving the Judiciary, the Probation and Welfare Service and the Departments of Justice, Health, Education and the Environment.
Community psychiatric services for children and adolescents are urgently needed. In-patient units will have to be provided by the Department of Health. Prisons must not continue to be used as dumping grounds for the mentally ill and for those unable to cope, either through drug abuse or homelessness.
A range of agencies and Government departments have a role to play in providing training and education, sheltered housing, support and temporary financial assistance for such people. And the judiciary must be encouraged to make far greater use of a system of community service and restorative justice.
It is easy for any government to take the populist route and crack down on crime: to create new offences; introduce new means of monitoring offenders; and construct new prison places. But that is the easy - and expensive - option. It throws money at the problem in a traditional way, rather than investing in services which would reduce the incidence of imprisonment and recidivism and, in the process, improve the lives of many thousands of our citizens.
Prisons will be with us for the foreseeable future. And we need to replace old facilities. But we should question the necessity for a major expansion programme at a time when the cost of manning the service is so high. Only those who pose a grave threat to society or who have committed serious crimes should be sent to jail.
The study published in this newspaper yesterday found that half of the State's prisoners have a history of homelessness and that many are in jail for offences which are "not of a serious nature". Among this group of people are chronic drug-abusers and those who have been diagnosed with mental illness.
A succession of reports from prison chaplains, prison inspectors and visiting committees have all drawn attention to these matters in recent years and have urged reform and alternative approaches. However, because of an ongoing industrial dispute between the Prison Officers' Association and the Department of Justice, they did not get the attention they deserved.
Now that the issue of overtime has been resolved, it is time the needs of prisoners took centre stage. Perhaps taxpayers' money could be better spent in keeping people out of jail - and providing supports to ensure they do not return there - than through expanding a dysfunctional prison service.