ACJRD Juvenile Justice Seminar
The ACJRD were delighted to present this online Juvenile Justice seminar on 20 March 2024, along with Dr Siobhán Buckley, Ulster University School of Law, and Caroline Rutherford and Michelle Kennedy of Extern. A recording of the seminar available to ACJRD members only is available to view here. Presentations are available to download here, and a report will be available shortly.
A Century of Courts: conference, guided tours, exhibition and musical performance
This event will take place in Dublin Castle on 12 April 2024 to mark the centenary of The Courts of Justice Act 1924 being signed into law, one of the most significant pieces of legislation passed in the Free State. The event includes a conference, guided tours, an exhibition and a musical performance. Speakers at the conference include academics from across the island, as well as members of the judiciary. This event is free of charge, but booking is essential (see Eventbrite link here). See further information on the event here.
The Family Courts Bill Summit
The Bar of Ireland and The Family Lawyers Association are generally supportive of the Bill, but have strong concerns about the proposed reorganisation of jurisdiction for the hearing of family law proceedings. They are holding a summit on 17 April 2024 (11am) in the Alex Hotel in Dublin 2. Places are limited, please click here to secure your place and to receive a copy of the submission.
The 6th World Congress on Probation and Parole
The Netherlands will host the 6th World Congress on Probation and Parole from 16 to 18 April 2024 in The Hague. This is a varied and inspiring congress on the theme ‘The future of probation and parole’: How do we see and utilize probation and parole in different settings and developments? What can we learn from the past? And what can we learn from each other? The congress will offer you a well-balanced mix of inspiration, in-depth exploration, and contact with colleagues from all around the globe. See further details here (registration by 1 March 2024).
Alternative Ways of Seeing – An exhibition of work by people in custody 2024
‘Alternative Ways of Seeing’ is a national exhibition of artwork produced in prisons and curated by artist Eddie Cahill, a former prisoner himself. Cahill together with Tom Shortt, Arts Officer for the Irish Prison Service, travelled the length and breadth of the country, selecting a body of work which spans all the prisons in Ireland and displays a wealth of skills taught within the prison education system. The exhibition runs until 27 April 2024 at Rua Red, South Dublin Arts Centre, Tallaght. For further detail click here.
Policing Empires: Militarization, Race and the Imperial Boomerang
In an event hosted by the Centre for Criminology of Maynooth University on 25th April 2024 6:30-8pm, Professor Julian Go of the Sociology Department, University of Chicago will discuss his newest book, Policing Empires: Militarization, Race, and the Imperial Boomerang in Britain and the US. In this research project, Go traces the origins of modern policing tactics and ideologies present in the USA and the UK to systems of control that were pioneered in Ireland and other colonies across the globe. His work offers an incisive, postcolonial critique of the very institution of police in contemporary western societies. For further details see Eventbrite.
Listen: Rachel Lillis on RTE Radio 1 speaks with Oliver Callan about the Probation Service and Restorative Justice
Rachel Lillis, the National Lead for the Restorative Justice and Victims Services Unit at the Probation Service, talks with Oliver Callan about the work of the Probation Service and Restorative Justice. Click here to listen to the interview.
'Replacing the Offences Against the State Acts: Shaking the Security Mindset'
The Irish Criminal Law Journal (2024 34(1)) has published an article entitled 'Replacing the Offences Against the State Acts: Shaking the Security Mindset' by Prof. Claire Hamilton, Maynooth University School of Law and Criminology. This is available in print and online at westlaw.ie
An Evaluation of the Provision of Psychiatric Care within the Irish Prison System
This inspection was carried out in February and March 2023, by a team including two international experts in forensic psychiatry. The provision of care was assessed in seven of the thirteen prisons in the State, and many of the Inspectorate’s recommendations refer to systemic issues arising across the prison estate. Click here to view the website where an action plan and summary report are available, click here to download the full report, or here to view the infographic.
Neglect of prisoners with mental health difficulties exposes a prison system that is unfit for purpose - Mental Health Reform respond to the report here.
The reasons why applicants are still required to disclose criminal records are not always clear
Charlotte Brooks presents research on the complex landscape of university admissions policies for those with criminal records - Higher education policies for applicants with criminal records in the United Kingdom: Are universities ‘banning the box’? Charlotte Brooks is a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Nottingham. To read the blog, click here.
Adolescent Addiction Service Report 2024
This report, prepared by Denis Murray, covers the work of the Adolescent Addition Service. Click here to download the report.
ACJRD Newsletter and notice submissions
If you have submissions relevant for distribution to personnel working in or associated professionally with the criminal justice system, please send them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will consider them for our next newsletter and notices.
Also, we sometimes receive submissions at short notice for events, vacancies and opportunities, so be sure to keep an eye on our News section so you don’t miss these.