Dochas Centre

AryaStark

Hi,

I am not sure which forum to post this in so maybe it can be moved if this is not right.

I have to go into the Dochas Centre (female prison Dublin) on Monday for non payments of fines. I wont be able to get the money together so just have to go ahead. It is then 60 days. I am wondering does anybody knows how this goes or what I should expect. I am dreading it but there is nothing I can do to change it so now I just want to make sure I am prepared... I was told to bring clothes and money but that is it...

Any advice would be great, Thanks.

nullzero

Box set of Prisoner Cell block H should answer your questions.

Tail Docker

You'll be home before the Gard who brings you, going by what happens around here. I'd bring a packed lunch, and that's about it. If you've been a really bad girl(I doubt it) you'll do a couple of weeks and make some new friends who are ordinary people just like you. keep your head down, your gob shut and be nice - treat it as an odd holiday. Keep the bright side out and good luck -just be yourself, not having the money is just finances - no-one else goes to jail for financial crimes, unless you're a garlic baron and they have it in for you. I hope it all goes ok for you -but feck it, sure it's a side of life -you might make friends, be well.

My name is URL

How much in fines dis you not pay? 60 days sounds a bit extreme for such a crime.

Prisons should not be used for this bullshit

If you get in touch with the prison Chaplain you will probably be able to ask all your questions and have them answered with some understanding, I don't think this is the place for the support you need.

I hope you cope well with the experience.

wazky

Bring a cake, with a nail file imbedded in it to saw away at the bars.

Uriel.

My name is URL wrote: »

How much in fines dis you not pay? 60 days sounds a bit extreme for such a crime.

Prisons should be used for this bullshit

Agreed (on the assumption that you made typo). Non payment of fines should be deducted from state benefits or tax credits instead of prison sentences (depending on the nature of the offence and whether it's a repeat etc)

Tail Docker

wazky wrote: »

Bring a cake, with a nail file imbedded in it to saw away at the bars.

As chief gobshyte, even I know this person is probably devastated and worried. A real crim wouldn't give a shyte. Maybe be nice?

131spanner

Walk in the front door and hit the biggest, meanest looking sonuva bítch you see.

Ain't nobody gonna fúck with AryaStark after that.

Seriously though, good luck with it.

Little CuChulainn

My name is URL wrote: »

How much in fines dis you not pay? 60 days sounds a bit extreme for such a crime.

Prisons should not be used for this bullshit

You don't even know what the fine is for. Fines are generally given in lieu of prison sentences. It makes sense that the penalty for not paying them is time in prison

My name is URL

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

You don't even know what the fine is for. Fines are generally given in lieu of prison sentences. It makes sense that the penalty for not paying them is time in prison

It makes no sense whatsoever. It costs thousands of euro and gives nothing tangible back in return..

Cassi 202

Tail Docker wrote: »

You'll be home before the Gard who brings you, going by what happens around here.

Too true, you got there before me

uch

Tail Docker wrote: »

You'll be home before the Gard who brings you, going by what happens around here. I'd bring a packed lunch, and that's about it. If you've been a really bad girl(I doubt it) you'll do a couple of weeks and make some new friends who are ordinary people just like you. keep your head down, your gob shut and be nice - treat it as an odd holiday. Keep the bright side out and good luck -just be yourself, not having the money is just finances - no-one else goes to jail for financial crimes, unless you're a garlic baron and they have it in for you. I hope it all goes ok for you -but feck it, sure it's a side of life -you might make friends, be well.

I was going to come into this thread with all witty/daft guns blazing but OP seems serious, so what TD says is very good advice

AryaStark

Tail Docker wrote: »

As chief gobshyte, even I know this person is probably devastated and worried. A real crim wouldn't give a shyte. Maybe be nice?

A thanks... I know Ill probably get a bit of a slagging here but also hoping somebody who has been there also replies.
It is an eight hundred euro fine. I have saved 350 but they don't let you make payments and they wont give me more time (its over a year since I got the fine so I understand). I am real nervous but again nothing I can do to change it so just hope that it is over asap... I would love to be sent home but cant rely on it!
The advise about getting onto the chaplain is great and Ill look into it.

wazky

In all seriousness, you will more than likely be out on the.same day if you get in early enough.

And will only see the holding cells, they also have to feed you once your in there so I'm told.

Though my information is from the.men's prisons, don't know if it's a different system for women.

Tail Docker

uch wrote: »

I was going to come into this thread with all witty/daft guns blazing but OP seems serious, so what TD says is very good advice

I've always viewed going to jail as being a shyte thing that happens to a lot of ordinary people. I used to work with prisoners who were due for release and met a lot of decent people who made a mistake - usually one they died about every day and deeply regretted. Sh1t happens, it doesn't need to be made sh1tter.

caustic 1

Sorry for your bothers, hope it pans out for you.

AryaStark

AryaStark wrote: »

A thanks... I know Ill probably get a bit of a slagging here but also hoping somebody who has been there also replies.
It is an eight hundred euro fine. I have saved 350 but they don't let you make payments and they wont give me more time (its over a year since I got the fine so I understand). I am real nervous but again nothing I can do to change it so just hope that it is over asap... I would love to be sent home but cant rely on it!
The advise about getting onto the chaplain is great and Ill look into it.

well,thats not true, if there was a warrant for you, and you ignored it, then you should have done something about it.
i know the warrants officer would take instalments.

either you didnt try too hard or you couldnt care less about going to prison,

Tail Docker

bubblypop wrote: »

well,thats not true, if there was a warrant for you, and you ignored it, then you should have done something about it.
i know the warrants officer would take instalments.

either you didnt try too hard or you couldnt care less about going to prison,

People bury their heads in the sand -there you go. You should know that by now.

AryaStark

bubblypop wrote: »

well,thats not true, if there was a warrant for you, and you ignored it, then you should have done something about it.
i know the warrants officer would take instalments.

either you didnt try too hard or you couldnt care less about going to prison,

It is a fact that they wont take payments. I tried ... weekly payments I could manage but putting the money by made it hard. I think they should take it from social welfare payments.
Anyway you can think what you like doesn't make a difference to me!

Tail Docker

AryaStark wrote: »

It is a fact that they wont take payments. I tried ... weekly payments I could manage but putting the money by made it hard. I think they should take it from social welfare payments.
Anyway you can think what you like doesn't make a difference to me!

If you're unlucky, you could have a bubblycop driving you up there..:D

AryaStark

Tail Docker wrote: »

If you're unlucky, you could have a bubblycop driving you up there..:D

I already met the Garda who will be driving me up! She told me there will be a couple of us going up together. I just have to head into the Garda Station on Monday morning.

Sulla Felix

Best of luck OP, you'll be grand.

Fr_Dougal

Bring sanitary towels, lots of them. You'll need them to make shower slippers, saw it on a documentary once. Oh and don't piss off the lady that runs the canteen!

bubblypop

bubblypop wrote: »

well,thats not true, if there was a warrant for you, and you ignored it, then you should have done something about it.
i know the warrants officer would take instalments.

either you didnt try too hard or you couldnt care less about going to prison,

Many years ago I owed money for a fine and the local guard called to my home to collect as I hadn't paid it. I said I couldn't afford it in one go and he said that he couldn't take it in installments. He asked me to get the money together within the next four weeks as they have to give an answer as to why the money wasn't collected on any given month and his friendly visit would only be allowed once.

Tail Docker

AryaStark wrote: »

I already met the Garda who will be driving me up! She told me there will be a couple of us going up together. I just have to head into the Garda Station on Monday morning.

My money is on you being back by tuesday. I have a mate who is a gard and he's always giving out about it being a farce - they're usually back around the same time as "the prisoner" they're transporting.

Satriale

Aryastark, dont worry too much about it. I think you will be home not long after you are signed in.

anothernight

A few years ago I visited the Dochas Centre as part of a school project. The place was so nice that the guard had to try hard to make it seem not-so-nice. In the end, all he could say was something like "I know it doesn't look like a bad place, but at the end of the day these women gave up their freedom."

Gave up their freedom, but gained playstations, award-winning chefs making their food (according to the guard anyway), a fully fitted kitchen in case they wanted to make anything, etc.

Phoebas

Where the fcuk was the hound when Arya Stark got sent off to the dungeon?

sligojoek

A neighbour of mine owed a similar amount. She met the gardai by appointment at 8 one morning and was back in Sligo at 9 that night. She was in a holding cell for a couple of hours and they gave her a bus ticket home.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

WilyCoyote

You'll be fine OP. Just go with the flow and don't worry. If it's a week or so off your life, treat it as an experience. From every experience in life ....... you learn.

Good luck and let us know how it pans out.

AryaStark

TheZohan wrote: »

Bring sanitary towels, lots of them. You'll need them to make shower slippers, saw it on a documentary once. Oh and don't piss off the lady that runs the canteen!

Haha very good. The food actually worries me! I am a vegetarian and very fussy, I don't eat anything processed and try to stick to organic! Guess that will go out the window for a bit!

I also don't use any shower products with parabens since I had treatment for cancer a couple of years ago... i don't think Ill be able to get them there!

FTA69

You won't spend a night there, you'll be out by the end of the day.

The fact prisons are being used for this is a f*cking disgrace.

Birneybau

Yeah, it's a fcuking disgrace putting someone that owes €800 to the exchequer or whatever through the mill and the other fcukers like Sean Dunne and his ilk swan around the place having 'given' millions to his wife as a 'gift'.

suicide_circus

Up in the female prison
There are 75 women...

Little CuChulainn

My name is URL wrote: »

It makes no sense whatsoever. It costs thousands of euro and gives nothing tangible back in return..

So what's the alternative?

Grandeeod

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

So what's the alternative?

This.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/people-unable-to-pay-court-fines-to-escape-jail-29433262.html

AryaStark

Grandeeod wrote: »

This.



This will be great when it comes in.
I wish I had gotten community service actually and it would all be behind me.

Little CuChulainn

Grandeeod wrote: »

This.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/people-unable-to-pay-court-fines-to-escape-jail-29433262.html

You have at about two months to pay a court fine then the Gardaí have six months to execute the penal warrant or collect the fine. So that's eight months to save your cash. In addition, MABS will also help you save it and deal with the Gardaí if you are incapable of doing it yourself.

In addition, you can request extra time to pay up from the judge when the fine is imposed and they generally have no problem with it if you are genuine.

Despite what the Indo likes to report, people lodged on court fines are very rarely there for minor traffic offences or no tv licence. Those people make up a small proportion of executed penal warrants. Offences that receive court fines include assaults, drugs, public order, drink driving, thefts and more.

Also, vast majority of people lodged on penal warrants aren't ordinary Joe Soaps. They are known criminals. Most penal warrants are executed when a person is already in Garda custody for something else. They are just as unlikely to do community service or have any earnings to deduct.

bisset

All the women I know who have been sent there for non payment of fines have been released before the day is over. Try not to worry about and learn from the experience so it doesn't happen again

eviltwin

Arya I don't have any words of wisdom for you beyond the fact that someone I know does volunteer work in Dochas and says the staff are very kind and sensitive to all coming in so you will be treated with dignity and respect. Even though it seems you won't have to stay for long its still a worry for you and I can appreciate your concern. Stay strong and ignore the idiots, its a disgrace there is no option to pay fines on a weekly basis in this country and anyone who hits a bad time in their life can easily find themselves in this position. Good luck and keep us updated.

Holsten

Complete walk in the park, you'll be in and out within a day, maybe less.

The thing here is why the hell do they even bother with placing you there.. completel waste of everyones time and money.

Non payment of fines should NEVER, EVER end up with someone behind bars, even for just a few hours.

Madness.

Micky Dolenz

As prisons go it is a nice one. Big communal garden where you will be free to hang out in during the day. Food is good and meal times are pretty regular. There is no comparison with the prison next door.

RobertKK

I think you will be counting the hours rather than days you spend in prison presuming it is a first offense.

On the Pat Kenny show the other day they were talking about it, John Lonergan was on, the neighbours in Mountjoy have flatscreen TVs in some cells and I think he said there are about 5 dozen playstations for inmates to occupy their time.

Butterface

I hope you're in and out in a day OP. In the meantime, you should bingewatch Orange is the New Black for tips just in case.

AryaStark

Butterface wrote: »

I hope you're in and out in a day OP. In the meantime, you should bingewatch Orange is the New Black for tips just in case.

I was looking forward to the new series but I doubt you can stream netflicks!!!!!!!

Tail Docker

"Anyone who fails to settle the full amount faces another fine of up to 2,500 euro and/or up to 12 months in prison, he warned."

"You can't pay the full amount because you're too poor??? - Here's another €2500 worth of grief to play with".

Feck that. I'd rather the day in jail.

cloud493

You have to talk to us once your in prison, let us know how it really works in there.

suicide_circus

Holsten wrote: »

Complete walk in the park, you'll be in and out within a day, maybe less.

The thing here is why the hell do they even bother with placing you there.. completel waste of everyones time and money.

Non payment of fines should NEVER, EVER end up with someone behind bars, even for just a few hours.

Madness.

Agreed but there has to be some repercussions for non payment of fines. I would advocate taking it at source - paycheck or welfare.

AryaStark

cloud493 wrote: »

You have to talk to us once your in prison, let us know how it really works in there.

I will definitely post about how it goes because it is so hard to find out. I would love to hear from somebody who had the experience.

Also I would rather pay if I could because if it is one day or a few days then ok but the thought of 90 is sickening really.