Rules For the Government of Prisons 1947

• Jurisdiction: Ireland
• Citation: IR SI 320/1947

STATUTORY RULES AND ORDERS. 1947. No. 320.
RULES FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF PRISONS, 1947.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PART I. RULES PRELIMINARY 1 PART II. GENERAL RULES FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF PRISONS (1) Application of Part II 2 (2) Accommodation 3 to 6 (3) General Treatment :— (I) Admission, Discharge and Removal 7 to 21 (II) Prohibited Articles 22 to 24 (III) Food, Clothing, Bedding 25 to 33 (IV) Cleanliness 34 and 35 (V) Classification and Remission 36 to 40 (VI) Employment 41 to 45 (VII) Health 46 (VIII) Religious Instruction 47 to 53 (IX) Secular Instruction 54 to 58 (X) Visits and Communications 59 to 65 (XI) Offences and Punishments 66 to 71 (XII) Corporal Punishment—Carrying out of Court Order 72 and 73 (XIII) Restraints 74 to 78 (XIV) Prisoners under sentence of death 79 to 81 (4) Staff :— (I) Prison Officers generally 82 to 114 (II) Governor 115 to 149 (III) Female Officer in charge 150 to 154 (IV) Chaplains 155 to 171 (V) Medical Officer 172 to 188 Part III. SPECIAL RULES FOR PARTICULAR CLASSES OF PRISONERS. (1) Prisoners on Remand or Awaiting Trial— (I) Admission, Discharge and Removal 189 to 195 (II) Food, Clothing and Bedding 196 to 200 (III) Cleanliness and Health 201 to 203 (IV) Books 204 (V) Employment 205 to 208 (VI) Visits and Communications 209 to 213
RULES (2) Juvenile Prisoners Awaiting Trial 214 to 221 (3) Juvenile Offenders Under Conviction 222 to 229 (4) Prisoners between the Ages of 17 and 21 years 230 to 236 (5) Offenders of the First Division :— (I) Admission and General Treatment 237 to 242 (II) Food and Clothing 243 to 246 (III) Cleanliness 247 and 248 (IV) Books 249 (V) Employment 250 (VI) Visits and Communications 251 and 252 (6) Offenders of the Second Division 253 to 261 (7) Offenders of the Third Division 262 (8) Debtors or Contempt of Court Prisoners :— (I) Admission and General Treatment 263 and 264 (II) Food and Clothing 265 and 266 (III) Cleanliness 267 and 268 (IV) Employment 269 (V) Remission and Stage 270 (VI) Health 271 (VII) Visits and Communications 272 to 275 (9) Appellants 276 to 281 Part IV. REVOCATION OF EXISTING RULES 282
STATUTORY RULES AND ORDERS.
1947. No. 320.
RULES FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF PRISONS, 1947.
I. Gerald Boland, Minister for Justice, in exercise of the powers conferred by the Prisons (Ireland) Acts, 1826 to 1907, the Penal Servitude Act, 1891, the Prisons Act, 1898, and the Criminal Justice Administration Act, 1914 (as adapted by the General Prisons Board (Transfer of Functions) Order, 1928 ( S. R. & O. No. 79 of 1928 ), and in consequence of the enactment of the Constitution), and of every and any other power me in this behalf enabling, hereby make the following rules :—
PART I. PRELIMINARY.
	1 Short title and interpretation	1. (1) These rules may be cited as the Rules for the Government of Prisons, 1947.
(2) In these Rules the expression "the Minister" means the Minister for Justice.
(3) The Interpretation Act, 1937 (No. 38 of 1937) applies to these Rules.
PART II. GENERAL RULES FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF PRISONS.
1. APPLICATION OF PART II.
	2 Application of general rules	2. The Rules in this Part apply to all prisons, but are subject to the special rules in Part III hereof as to particular classes of prisoners.
2. ACCOMMODATION.
	3 Cells	3. A cell shall not be used for the separate confinement of a prisoner unless it is certified by the Minister to be of such a size, and to be lighted, warmed, ventilated, and fitted up in such a manner as may be requisite for health, and furnished with the means of enabling the prisoner to communicate at any time with an officer of the prison.
	4 Occupation of separate cell	4. Each prisoner shall occupy a cell by himself by day and by night (except as otherwise directed). If, for medical reasons or in other special circumstances, it is necessary that prisoners be associated, not fewer than three prisoners may be located in one room, in which each shall be supplied with a separate bed.
	5 Infirmary	5. A proper place for the reception of sick prisoners shall be provided.
	6 Locks	6. The wards, cells, and yards where females are confined shall be secured by locks different from those securing the wards, cells, and yards allotted to male prisoners.
3. GENERAL TREATMENT.
I. Admission, Discharge, and Removal.
	7 Searching	7. (1) Every prisoner shall be searched on admission and at such times subsequently as may be directed, and all prohibited articles shall be taken from him.
(2) The searching of a prisoner shall be conducted with due regard to decency and self-respect and in as seemly a manner as is consistent with the necessity of discovering any concealed article.
(3) No prisoner shall be stripped or searched in the presence of another prisoner.
	8 Provision as to female prisoners	8. A female prisoner shall be searched by female officers. In other respects the same course shall be pursued in reference to the admission, removal, or discharge of a female prisoner as in the case of a male prisoner.
	9 Medical examination on admission	9. Every prisoner shall, as soon as possible after his admission, be separately examined by the medical officer, who shall record the state of health of the prisoner, and such other particulars as may be directed.
	10 Bath	10. Every prisoner shall take a bath on reception, unless it is otherwise directed in any particular case by the governor or medical officer.
	11 Vermin or infectious, etc., disease	11. (1) If the medical officer finds that any prisoner on admission to or while in prison is suffering from an infectious or contagious disease he shall at once report the fact in writing to the Governor, and shall take the necessary steps for the prisoner's treatment and for the prevention of the spread of the disease to other prisoners.
(2) If a prisoner, on admission, is found to be in a verminous condition, the necessary steps shall be taken without delay to deal with such condition, the medical officer being consulted if necessary.
	12 Record of measurements and other particulars	12. The name, age, height, weight, features, particular marks, general appearance, and such other measurements and particulars as may be required in regard to a prisoner shall, upon his admission, and from time to time, be recorded in such manner as may be directed.
	13 Photographing of prisoner	13. Every prisoner may, if required for purposes of justice be photographed on reception and subsequently ; but no copy of the photograph shall be given to any person unless he is officially authorised to receive it.
	14 Prisoner's property	14. All money and other effects brought into the prison by any prisoner, or sent to the prison for his use, which he is not allowed to retain, shall be placed in the custody of the governor, who shall keep an inventory of them.
	15 Notification of Rules to prisoners	15. (1) The Governor shall cause an abstract, approved by the Minister, of the regulations relating to the treatment and conduct of prisoners, with a copy of the prison dietaries (printed in legible characters), to be posted in each cell, and shall read them or cause them to be read to every prisoner who cannot read within 24 hours after his admission.
(2) The Governor shall take an early opportunity of seeing all prisoners after their admission, and satisfying himself that they understand the rules and regulations to which they are required to conform, the privileges they may gain by industry and good conduct, and the consequences of idleness and misconduct.
	16 Medical examination on removal or discharge	16. Every prisoner shall be examined by the medical officer before being removed to any other prison, or being discharged from prison. No prisoner shall be removed to any other prison unless the medical officer certifies that he is fit for removal ; and no prisoner labouring under any acute or dangerous illness shall be discharged from prison until, in the opinion of the medical officer, the discharge is safe, unless the prisoner refuses to remain in the prison.
	17 Removal to or from prison	17. A prisoner shall be exposed to public view as little as possible while being removed from or to prison. In order to avoid exposure while passing through the public streets, he shall, if necessary, be conveyed in a closed vehicle.
	18 Release of prisoner on payment of portion of line	18. No payment made by a prisoner in part satisfaction of the sum adjudged to be paid by him, in order to obtain the remission of part of his imprisonment, as provided by law, shall be made on Sunday, but may be made at any reasonable time on any weekday.
	19 Application of gratuity on discharge	19. Any gratuity granted to a prisoner on his discharge may be paid through a Prisoners' Aid Society, or in such manner and under such conditions as the Minister may order for the purpose of preventing its being misapplied.
	20 Children of female prisoners	20. The child of a female prisoner may be received into prison with its mother, provided it is at the breast. In all such cases an authority from the committing court for the child's admission shall accompany the...