ABSTRACT
This chapter will discuss the reoffending experiences of Irish Traveller men particularly focusing on structural barriers stemming from wider social, political, economic, and cultural processes which affect those on the periphery of society most strongly. This discussion is necessary as there is a general paucity of research about Travellers’ experiences of the criminal justice system in Ireland or indeed their experiences of reoffending. This chapter will firstly examine existing research to understand the Irish Traveller identity in a broader social, political, economic, and cultural context and to understand the combination of a masculine and Traveller identity. To aid this, qualitative data will be presented focusing on semi-structured interviews from three Irish Traveller men who were linked to the Irish Probation Service. Findings will highlight two reasons to explain why Irish Traveller men may reoffend – that reoffending allows individuals to cope with discrimination and overcome structural barriers and that through reoffending individuals can gain advantages in life. Ultimately, this chapter will demonstrate that the combination of the Irish Traveller identity, masculine identity, and wider social, cultural, political, and economic marginalisation can explain reoffending.
