“Me Da’s in Jail”: does the Irish criminal justice system punish the children of fathers in prison?

Abstract

This dissertation is primarily interested in exploring the key issues in relation to children who are affected by paternal imprisonment in Ireland. There is no doubt the impact of imprisonment is not limited to prisoners alone as it affects members of their families and it is crucial to consider the wider implications of incarceration for society. Presently, there is no record of the number of children with a parent in prison in Ireland, however, it is estimated that the number of children separated from an imprisoned father is approximately 4,300 while an estimated 142 children are separated from an imprisoned mother (Martyn, 2012).