I spent ten days in Dublin where I was able to explore the city and see all the big tourist spots, while learning about the criminal justice system. I learned a lot about Ireland's position on different topics such as mental health and social media usage regarding court cases, and I visited one of the most famous prisons in the country. I also visited The Criminal Courts of Justice, where they hold the city's criminal cases. While sitting in on case sentencing, one prominent aspect was the consideration for individual's mental states. Similar to America, individuals' mental health states were taken into account when their sentencing was being determined. If it was appropriate, some individuals were sent to mental health facilities, where they could receive treatment and rehabilitation, versus being directly sent to prison. This was demonstrated in one case where a man, who had previously gone straight to prison for his crimes, was sent to a mental health facility for treatment. It was refreshing to see that the considerations for mental health, and ending the stigma against it, is happening outside of America.
Another case that was ongoing during my trip had an additional impact than solely finding justice for the victims. This particular case led officials to reconsider the usage of media covering in ongoing cases, and its ramifications that cause the spreading of information and potentially affect people's perceptions. Throughout this case, information about the involved individuals and the case itself were not disclosed on any media platform to prevent the spreading of misinformation. This caused a big conversation throughout the country about if all cases should not be displayed in the media.
Not only was I able to sit in on criminal cases, but I was also able to visit Kilmainham Gaol, one of Ireland's top tourist attractions. This jail was opened in 1796 and its primary use was to house men, women and children with crimes ranging from theft to murder, but in later years it shifted to just housing men. It was largely used as a transport prison, holding prisoners until they were transported to Australia. Throughout its time, the prison held many Irish leaders during the different rebellions and the Irish Civil War making it have a rich history with Irish nationalism. The prison closed in 1924, but remains to be an important part in Dublin and Ireland's history.
