Welcome for reduction in confinement incidents at Oberstown

The number of incidents of solitary confinement at the children’s detention centre fell by 44% last year.

There were 1,326 incidents of ‘single separation’ in Oberstown Children’s Detention Campus in 2018 – but only 749 last year.

The practice is often used if young people are violent or have drugs in their possession.

Tipperary native John Lonergan is a former governor of Mountjoy Prison – he says the reduction is “very welcome as it indicates a vast improvement in overall atmosphere and environment in the centre.”

“What it means is that there are fewer incidents; there are fewer misbehaviors of a serious nature, there’s less conflict and as a result there’s less tension.”