Education and training provision review for separated prisoners
Date published:
In response to recommendations contained in the Fresh Start Panel Report and the Executive’s commitment in the Executive Action Plan for Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime, the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) is to review the education and training provision for prisoners in separated accommodation.
In response to recommendations contained in the Fresh Start Panel Report and the Executive’s commitment in the Executive Action Plan for Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime, the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) is to review the education and training provision for prisoners in separated accommodation.
Catherine Bell a former Northern Ireland Civil Servant, Professor Cathy Gormley-Heenan, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Impact at Ulster University and Duncan Morrow a Lecturer in politics and Director of Community Engagement at Ulster University will take forward the work.
The team will scope the review and engage with stakeholders over the summer. Their findings are expected to be presented to NIPS in the autumn.
Notes to editors:
1. The Fresh Start agreement of November 2015 sets out the Executive’s commitment to tackling paramilitary activity and associated criminality. It set up an independent three-person panel – the Fresh Start Panel – to make recommendations on the disbandment of paramilitary groups. Its report was published in June 2016.
2. Recommendation B9 in the Fresh Start Panel Report stated that ‘whilst ensuring that all prisoners are treated fairly, the Department of Justice should ensure that appropriate learning and training opportunities are provided to prisoners in the separated regime.’
3. The Executive responded to the Panel’s report with the Executive Action Plan for Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime which was published on 19 July 2016. It contains 43 commitments in response to the Panel’s recommendations.
4. Catherine Bell is a former Northern Ireland Senior Civil Servant in the then Department for Employment and Learning and has extensive experience in learning and skills provision and employment. She was also a member of the College Steering Group which helped to transform Hydebank Wood from a Young Offenders Centre to a secure college in 2015 following a recommendation from the Prison Review Team Report which was published in 2011.
5. Professor Cathy Gormley-Heenan is the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Impact at Ulster University. She is a Professor of Politics with research interests in the areas of peace processes, the politics of divided societies, public policy and governance. Until 2016 she was based in the School of Criminology, Politics & Social Policy at Ulster where she was also Director of the Institute for Research in Social Sciences (IRiSS). She is a regular political commentator for the BBC on both television and radio and has recently completed making a new radio programme for BBC World Service on Walls and Peace.
6. Duncan Morrow is a Lecturer in politics where he has published widely in the fields of conflict resolution, Northern Ireland politics and the relationship between religion and politics. Duncan is currently the Director of Community Engagement at Ulster University developing relationships with groups and organisations across the community. He is also a former Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council and between 2012 and 2015 he was Chair of the Scottish Government’s Advisory Group on Tackling Sectarianism and in 2016 chaired the Scottish Government’s Advisory Group on Tackling Hate Crime, Prejudice and Community Cohesion.
7. Currently there are 28 separated prisoners.
8. Further information on the Executive Action Plan is available here: https://www.northernireland.gov.uk/articles/executive-programme-tackling-paramilitary-activity-and-organised-crime-0
9. Information is also available on twitter @endingtheharm