A. Service overview and contact details
Focus of restorative justice (RJ) and restorative practice (RP) activities
Release is a registered charity that supports ex-offenders to live transformed lives. It currently provides five different programmes, namely mentoring, group work in prison, supervised family visits, support after prison and matching with churches post-release. It seeks to use restorative approaches and principles in all aspects of its work.
Year of commencement (RJ/RP elements)
2016
Service details
Release
5 Gardiner Row
D01 R3K1
Website: https://www.release.ie/
Email: info@release.ie
Tel: 086 044 9351
Head of service
Philip Larragy, CEO – philipl@release.ie
Staffing structure
Release has a full-time CEO and a part-time administrator.
Staff training in RJ/RP
The CEO trained as a restorative justice facilitator with the International Institute for Restorative Practices and in restorative practices with One in Four.
Use of volunteers
Release relies mainly on volunteers to deliver its services and has a cohort of 25 to 40 volunteers at any one time.
Volunteer training in RJ/RP
Fifteen volunteers recently completed on-line training in RJ/RP with an independent training provider.
Main source(s) of funding
Release relies for its funding on donations from a range of funding organisations and individuals. Volunteers donate their time.
Annual budget
€50,000
Nature of funding
Donations
Organisational status
Release is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. It is governed by a Board of Trustees.
Target client group
Adult prisoners and former prisoners
Nature of offences
Not limited to specific categories
Source of referrals
Self-referrals and referrals by prison staff
Geographic area of activity
Dublin, focusing on Mountjoy and Arbour Hill Prisons
B. Nature of RJ/RP service
RJ/RP services provided
Release seeks to carry out all aspects of its business in a restorative manner. Its mentoring programme matches mentors with serving prisoners and builds a support relationship that continues into the community post-release. Its programme of group work in prisons focuses on developing empathy and building positive, sustainable support groups. Release also offers a neutral venue for escorted prisoners to meet with their loved ones outside the prison environment; helps ex-offenders build practical plans for reintegration and provides referrals to partner; and matches ex-offenders with churches in the areas to which they are resettling and trains and supports churches in welcoming them into the congregation.
Activity levels
In 2020, Release worked with 50+ clients.
Community participation
Services are delivered in the main by community volunteers.
Offence breakdown
Not applicable
Offender age and gender breakdown
Participants in 2020 ranged from 25 to 75. All programme participants are male.
Outcomes
Not applicable
C. Sources of further information
Websites
Release: https://www.release.ie/
Charities Regulator: https://www.charitiesregulator.ie/en/information-for-the-public/search-the-register-of-charities/charity-detail?srchstr=Release®id=20107994