There is broad public support for drug addicts, mentally ill convicts and non-violent offenders to receive treatment and retraining instead of jail sentences, a survey says.
The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT), which lobbies for prisoners' rights and progressive reform of penal policy, says the vast majority of people are ahead of politicians on tackling the causes of crime.
IPRT executive director Rick Lines
The TNS/MRBI poll interviewed a representative sample of 1,000 adults during January 2007 on issues related to the prison system.
The poll found 91 per cent of respondents believe offenders with mental illness should be treated in a mental health facility instead of being sent to prison; 81 per cent believe offenders with a drug addiction should be in drug recovery programmes instead of jail; and 74 per cent are in favour of using alternatives to prison when dealing with young offenders.
It also found that 66 per cent of respondents believe that people come out of prison worse than they go in; 54 per cent disagree with the statement that "increasing prison numbers will reduce crime"; and that 44 per cent agree criminalising drug use causes more problems than it prevents.
"This research shows clearly that the Irish electorate has a much more sophisticated understanding of crime and punishment issues than they are given credit for by the main political parties or by much of the media," said IPRT executive director Rick Lines.
"It also shows that public concern about crime in no way translates into widespread demand for the types of knee-jerk 'get tough' policies being pedalled by the Government and main Opposition parties in the run up to the election.
"In fact just the opposite is the case."