Justice on the inside: teaching human rights and social justice to the recruit prison officers of the Irish prison service by developing professional integrity

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article will outline the planning, processes, challenges and successes of a unique teaching and training program for over 1000 recruits to the Irish Prison Service (IPS), which initially took place in the Republic of Ireland between 2008 and 2013. The program was a transformative one, with a pedagogy aimed at developing Recruit Prison Officers’ (RPOs) understanding of prisoner’s rights within a justice framework. In fact, Human Rights was one of the subjects taught to officers on the program. The program is known as the Higher Certificate in Custodial Care (HCCC). This program combined the expertise of academics from that nation’s Universities and the Irish Institute of Technology sector with the traditional training approaches of the Chief Officers of the IPS. This combination of academic and practical teaching and training and mentoring was intended to broaden the scope of knowledge and competency and professional integrity of recruits to Ireland’s national prison service. The article will chart the development and implementation of this innovative educational and training program, from planning to implementation. Abbreviations IPS: Irish Prison Service; Cos: Chief Officers; ACOs: Assistant Chief Officers; RPOs: Recruit Prison Officers; IT: Institute of Technology