Incentivised Regimes Policy


The IPS Incentivised Regimes Policy was introduced on a phased basis across all prisons in 2012 and is now operational in all Irish Prisons. The Incentivised Regimes Programme provides for a differentiation of privileges between prisoners according to their level of engagement with services and quality of behaviour. The objective is to provide tangible incentives to prisoners to participate in structured activities and to reinforce good behaviour, leading to a safer and more secure environment.

There are three levels of regime – basic, standard and enhanced, with different privileges associated with each regime level. All prisoners enter the system at standard regime level and have the opportunity to become eligible for the enhanced regime status once they have met the required criteria for the preceding two months.

The Incentivised Regimes Policy provides significant motivational factors in encouraging prisoners to engage in authorised structured activities and improve general behaviour. The hope is that these benefits are not just apparent in prisons and that the behavioural change effected will stay with the prisoner on their release.

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