On Wednesday 28th November, LL.M./M.A. in Human Rights in Criminal Justice students gained a real-life understanding of a prison environment during an educational tour of Limerick Prison.

The educational tour was a unique opportunity for students to remove discussion in academic seminars from the abstract and enhanced student knowledge and understanding of policies and practicalities in the sentencing processes. This in turn enabled students to deepen their knowledge and understanding of criminal justice and sentencing processes and to bring their knowledge gained in academic seminars to life. The educational tour also served to stimulate critical thinking and active learning for graduate students and to debunk myths and stereotypes of prison life and offenders.

This opportunity to meet with prison officers and listen to prisoner experiences provided a forum for students to deepen their knowledge and understanding of contemporary criminal justice issues and complemented their theoretical knowledge.

The educational tour was organised by Course Director Dr Ger Coffey (member of the Centre for Crime, Justice & Victim Studies in UL).