It may be time to increase prison sentences for convicted murderers given the recent spate of lawlessness throughout the Republic, according to the chairman of the Parole Board.
Writing in the board's first annual report, Mr Gordon Holmes also expressed concern at the treatment of the victims of crime and at shortcomings in the way prisoners are rehabilitated and resettled.
He said that, while the board believed a murderer should serve a term of at least 12 years, it may now be time to lengthen sentences.
"It is, sadly, all too clear that human life in this country is cheaper that it was five or 10 years ago. Persons who commit murder must realise that a long period of imprisonment awaits them.
"If this means that persons committing murder can expect to serve longer sentences, so be it".
On the treatment of the victims of crime, he said: "Those victims against whom a crime of violence has been committed have, in fact, been let down by society, and society owes them a duty to help them in their efforts towards recovery."
He added that difficulties regarding the rehabilitation and resettlement of prisoners often arose because of the unavailability of "certain facilities in any given area or through simple issues of accommodation etc".
The board was also worried about its access to information on prisoners who came before it.
During the course of 2002 just 57 of the State's prisoners were invited to appear before the board.
Of those, 26 were murderers and 16 were sex offenders. Just four drug offenders were afforded a parole hearing.
In total, 79 hearings were held during the year. The figure included some cases called by the board in 2001, but not heard during that year.
Figures in the annual report show that the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, rarely questions a recommendation on prisoners submitted to him by the board.
Of the 79 recommendations made, 74 were accepted in full, three were partly accepted, one recommendation was not accepted, and one was sent back for reconsideration.
Of the 79 interviewed, 14 were from Arbour Hill Prison, and 14 were from Wheatfield.
Just two prisoners from Limerick were afforded a hearing, and only one female prisoner was interviewed by the board.
The annual report does not disclose the nature of recommendations made to the Minister on individual prisoners.
