Home ▻ Research▻People▻Law

Law

Dr Roisin Mulgrew

BA Corporate Law & LLB Phd

Contact Details

Lecturer
Irish Centre for Human Rights
University of Galway
E: roisin.mulgrew@universityofgalway.ie
Lecturer Bar/College Lecturer
E: roisin.mulgrew@universityofgalway.ie
 
researcher
 

Biography

Dr. Mulgrew is a Lecturer Above the Bar in Criminology and Criminal Justice. She is the Director of Research at the School of Law and lead for the Crime, Punishment and Rights Research Cluster. Previously, Dr. Mulgrew was Assistant Professor and then Associate Professor in Law at the University of Nottingham (2010-2020). 

Dr. Mulgrew is currently a Director on the Board of Irish Penal Reform Trust, and a member of the expert panel of the Office of the Inspector of Prisons.

Dr. Mulgrew completed a Bachelor of Corporate Law and LL.B. at the National University of Ireland, Galway before moving to the University of Nottingham to undertake the LL.M. in International Criminal Justice and Armed Conflict. With funding from the Economic and Social Research Council, she completed the MA in Socio-legal and Criminological Research and a PhD at the University of Nottingham School of Law.

Dr. Mulgrew is an expert in international penal law and human rights. Her monograph, Towards the Development of the International Penal System, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2013. Her research has been published in numerous renowned peer-reviewed journals and edited collections. Recent articles featured in Human Rights Law Review, Incarceration and the Journal of International Criminal Justice. She was lead editor for the Research Handbook on the Punishment of Atrocity Crime (2024) and the Research Handbook on the International Penal System (Elgar, 2016). She also co-edited a special edition of International Criminal Law Review on 'National Prosecutions of International crimes: Sentencing Practices and (Negotiated) Punishments' (2019) and a symposium in the Journal of International Criminal Justice on Post-Trial (In)Justice: Reflections on the Legacies and Impacts of Atrocity Crime Prosecutions (2023). 

Her second monograph, entitled Early Release in International Criminal Law (Elgar), is currently in press and she working on a monograph, International Principles of Prison Law and Policy, with Emeritus Professor van Zyl Smit for Oxford University Press.

Dr Mulgrew has acted as an expert and consultant for a number of international penal policy and rights bodies and projects. These include the UN Office of Drugs and Crime, the Council of Europe's Council for Penological Cooperation (PC-CP) and Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals, the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, the Euromed III Justice Project and the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas. She co-authored the text of the Council of Europe's 2012 Recommendation concerning foreign prisoners (and its commentary) and the UNODC Handbook on the International Transfer of Sentenced Persons. 

She has been a member of the EUROPRIS-CEP Expert Group on Foreign Nationals in Prison and Probation since 2013 and is responsible for the regular Human Rights Spotlight segment of the EUROPRIS newsletter. She was recently part of COST Action 18228 on Global Atrocity Justice Constellations and member of the Research Advisory Panel for UKRI project SAFESOC (ended October 2024).

Research Interests

Sentencing, Punishment, Imprisonment, Justice, Punishment of Atrocity Crimes, Human Rights, Liberty Deprivation

Books

  Year Publication
(2013) Towards the Development of the International Penal System.
Róisín Mulgrew (2013) Towards the Development of the International Penal System. Cambridge: Cambridge University Presss. [Details]

Edited Books

  Year Publication
(2024) Research Handbook on the Punishment of Atrocity Crime.
Róisín Mulgrew and Mikkel J Christensen (Ed.). (2024) Research Handbook on the Punishment of Atrocity Crime Research Handbook on the Punishment of Atrocity Crime. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. [Details]
(2016) Research Handbook on the International Penal System.
Róisín Mulgrew and Denis Abels (Ed.). (2016) Research Handbook on the International Penal System Research Handbook on the International Penal System. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. [DOI] [Details]

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2023) 'Prisoner Lives Cut Short: The Need to Address Structural, Societal and Environmental Factors to Reduce Preventable Prisoner Deaths'
Roisin Mulgrew (2023) 'Prisoner Lives Cut Short: The Need to Address Structural, Societal and Environmental Factors to Reduce Preventable Prisoner Deaths'. Human Rights Law Review, 23 (2):1-25 [DOI] [Details]
(2023) 'Terminal Illness and Compassionate Release: Lessons for the ICC from the UN Tribunals and National Jurisdictions'
Roisin Mulgrew (2023) 'Terminal Illness and Compassionate Release: Lessons for the ICC from the UN Tribunals and National Jurisdictions'. Journal Of International Criminal Justice, :61-87 [DOI] [Details]
(2023) 'Making Prisoner Deaths Visible: Towards a New Epistemological Approach'
Philippa Tomczak; Róisín Mulgrew (2023) 'Making Prisoner Deaths Visible: Towards a New Epistemological Approach'. Incarceration, 4 :1-21 [DOI] [Details]
(2023) 'Post-Trial (In)Justice: Reflections on the Legacies and Impacts of Atrocity Crime Prosecutions'
Barbora Hola, Roisin Mulgrew and Maja Munivrana (2023) 'Post-Trial (In)Justice: Reflections on the Legacies and Impacts of Atrocity Crime Prosecutions'. Journal Of International Criminal Justice, :55-59 [DOI] [Details]
(2019) 'Introduction: National Prosecutions of International Crimes: Sentencing Practices and (Negotiated) Punishments'
Barbora Holá, Róisín Mulgrew and Joris van Wijk (2019) 'Introduction: National Prosecutions of International Crimes: Sentencing Practices and (Negotiated) Punishments'. International Criminal Law Review, 19 (1):1-14 [Details]
(2018) 'The role of oversight in foreign-national only prisons: Countering the disapplication of rehabilitation'
Róisín Mulgrew (2018) 'The role of oversight in foreign-national only prisons: Countering the disapplication of rehabilitation'. Crime Law And Social Change, 70 :77-92 [DOI] [Details]
(2016) 'Foreign Prisoners in Europe: An analysis of the 2012 Council of Europe Recommendation and its implications for international penal policy'
Róisín Mulgrew (2016) 'Foreign Prisoners in Europe: An analysis of the 2012 Council of Europe Recommendation and its implications for international penal policy'. Review of International Law and Politics, 12 (1):161-200 [DOI] [Details]
(2011) 'The international movement of prisoners'
Róisín Mulgrew (2011) 'The international movement of prisoners'. Criminal Law Forum, 22 (1):103-143 [DOI] [Details]
(2009) 'On the enforcement of sentences imposed by international courts: challenges faced by the Special Court for Sierra Leone'
Róisín Mulgrew (2009) 'On the enforcement of sentences imposed by international courts: challenges faced by the Special Court for Sierra Leone'. Journal Of International Criminal Justice, 7 (2):373-396 [DOI] [Details]

Encyclopedia Entry

  Year Publication
(2022) Temporary Transfer of Person in Custody.
Roisin Mulgrew (2022) Temporary Transfer of Person in Custody. Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law, Oxford University Press Encyclopedia Entry [Details]

Published Reports

  Year Publication
(2023) Investigating Deaths in Prison: A human rights based approach.
Penal Reform Int and prisonDEATH (Prof. Tomczak, Dr. Mulgrew, Dr. Appleton) (2023) Investigating Deaths in Prison: A human rights based approach. Penal Reform International, London. [Details]
(2015) Rehabilitation and mutual recognition – practice concerning EU law on transfer of persons sentenced or awaiting trial: UK Report.
Róisín Mulgrew and David Harris (2015) Rehabilitation and mutual recognition – practice concerning EU law on transfer of persons sentenced or awaiting trial: UK Report. EU Fundamental Rights Agency, Vienna. [Details]
(2022) Deaths in prison: Examining causes, responses, and prevention of deaths in prison worldwide.
Penal Reform International and prisonDEATH team (Dr. Mulgrew, Dr. Tomczak and Dr. Appelton) (2022) Deaths in prison: Examining causes, responses, and prevention of deaths in prison worldwide. Penal Reform International, London. [Details]
(2022) European Arrest Warrant safeguards in Ireland.
Hannah Grene, Róisín Mulgrew and José Henriquez (2022) European Arrest Warrant safeguards in Ireland. EU Fundamental Rights Agency, Vienna. [Details]

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2022) 'International Human Rights and COVID-19 in prisons: Medical isolation and independent oversight'
Roisin Mulgrew and Dirk van Zyl Smit (2022) 'International Human Rights and COVID-19 in prisons: Medical isolation and independent oversight' In: The Impact of Covid-19 on Prison Conditions and Penal Policy. England: Routledge. [Details]
(2022) 'International prisoners and the pandemic: Seeking release, improved conditions and family contact before international criminal courts'
Roisin Mulgrew (2022) 'International prisoners and the pandemic: Seeking release, improved conditions and family contact before international criminal courts' In: The Impact of Covid-19 on Prison Conditions and Penal Policy. England: Routledge. [Details]
(2016) 'The costs of suspicion: a critical analysis of the compensation scheme established by Article 85(3) of the Rome Statute'
Róisín Mulgrew (2016) 'The costs of suspicion: a critical analysis of the compensation scheme established by Article 85(3) of the Rome Statute' In: Research Handbook on the International Penal System. :445-491 Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. [DOI] [Details]
(2015) 'Releasing International Prisoners'
Róisín Mulgrew (2015) 'Releasing International Prisoners' In: Offender Release and Supervision: The role of courts and the use of discretion. :21-51 The Netherlands: Wolf Legal Publishers. [Details]

Other Journals

  Year Publication
(2014) 'Projet sur vingt-cinq ans: une analyse du système de liberation conditionnelle du Tribunal special pour la Sierra Leone'
Róisín Mulgrew (2014) 'Projet sur vingt-cinq ans: une analyse du système de liberation conditionnelle du Tribunal special pour la Sierra Leone' Cahiers de la Sécurité et de la Justice, 27 :142-153. [Details]

Conference Contributions

  Year Publication
(2024) Spandau, Sugamo, and Landsberg ¿ The Origins of Sentence Enforcement in International Criminal Law, and their Relevance for the International Criminal Justice System of Tomorrow: Past, Present, and Fu,
Róisín Mulgrew (2024) Critical Remarks on today¿s Decentralized System of the Enforcement of Sentences in International Criminal Law and Possible Consequences for the Future. [Invited Oral Presentation], Spandau, Sugamo, and Landsberg ¿ The Origins of Sentence Enforcement in International Criminal Law, and their Relevance for the International Criminal Justice System of Tomorrow: Past, Present, and Fu, Philipps University Marburg , 05-SEP-24 - 06-SEP-24. [Details]
(2024) Irish North-South Conference, Criminology in Times of Conflict: Rights, Harms and Responsibilities,
Róisín Mulgrew (2024) Implementing Punishment in the Context of Atrocity Crimes: Factors and Voices Influencing International Release Decisions. [Conference Paper], Irish North-South Conference, Criminology in Times of Conflict: Rights, Harms and Responsibilities, QUB , 17-JUN-24 - 19-JUN-24. [Details]
(2024) Nottingham International Criminal Justice Conference,
Róisín Mulgrew (2024) Early Release in International Criminal Law. [Conference Paper], Nottingham International Criminal Justice Conference, Univeristy of Nottingham , 08-JUL-24 - 09-JUL-24. [Details]
(2023) EuroPris and CEP International Expert Conference,
Róisín Mulgrew (2023) Foreign National Prisoners: Law and Policy. [Conference Paper], EuroPris and CEP International Expert Conference, Ter Apel, Netherlands , 10-MAY-23 - 11-MAY-23. [Details]
(2023) Comparative Enforcement of International Law Workshop,
Róisín Mulgrew (2023) The Enforcement of ICC Sentences of Imprisonment: A Complex Comparative Evaluation. [Conference Paper], Comparative Enforcement of International Law Workshop, Rutgers Law School, Newark , 15-MAY-23 - 16-MAY-23. [Details]
(2022) Post-Trial Injustice Roundtable,
Róisín Mulgrew (2022) Conditional Early Release, Terminal Illness and Humanitarian Emergencies. [Conference Paper], Post-Trial Injustice Roundtable, VU Amsterdam , 07-JUN-22. [Details]
(2022) Deaths in Prison,
Róisín Mulgrew (2022) Structural, societal and environmental factors contributing to prisoner deaths. [Conference Paper], Deaths in Prison, Oxford University , 02-NOV-22 - 03-NOV-23. [Details]
(2022) Post-Trial Injustice Roundtable,
Róisín Mulgrew (2022) Conditional Early Release, Terminal Illness and Humanitarian Emergencies. [Conference Paper], Post-Trial Injustice Roundtable, VU Amsterdam , 07-JUN-22. [Details]
(2017) Punishing International Crime in Domestic Courts,
Róisín Mulgrew (2017) Dealing with international criminals in domestic prisons: guidance from international practice and European penology. [Conference Paper], Punishing International Crime in Domestic Courts, Centre for International Criminal Justice, VU Amsterdam , 12-JUN-17. [Details]
(2015) 5th Plenary Session of the Council of Penological Cooperation,
Róisín Mulgrew (2015) Implementation of the 2012 Recommendation concerning foreign prisoners. [Invited Oral Presentation], 5th Plenary Session of the Council of Penological Cooperation, Council of Europe Strasbourg , 18-NOV-15. [Details]
(2015) Sentencing, Rehabilitation and Perpetrators of International Crimes - Closed Expert Meeting,
Róisín Mulgrew (2015) International Punishment. [Conference Paper], Sentencing, Rehabilitation and Perpetrators of International Crimes - Closed Expert Meeting, Centre for International Criminal Justice, VU Amsterdam , 30-NOV-15. [Details]
(2011) European Society of Criminology,
Róisín Mulgrew (2011) Legitimate Limit or Unnecessary Restriction: A Human Rights Analysis of Article 85(3) of the Rome Statute. [Conference Paper], European Society of Criminology, Vilnius, Lithuania , 24-SEP-11. [Details]
(2009) European Society of Criminoogy,
Róisín Mulgrew (2009) The International Movement of Prisoners: Exploring the Evolution of the Inter-State and International Criminal Justice Systems For the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. [Conference Paper], European Society of Criminoogy, Ljubljana, Slovenia , 11-SEP-09. [Details]

Consultancy

  Year Publication
(2012) UN Handbook on the International Transfer of Sentenced Persons.
Dirk van Zyl Smit and Róisín Mulgrew (2012) UN Handbook on the International Transfer of Sentenced Persons. UN Office of Drugs and Crime Consultancy [Details]
(2010) Report on Consent in International Prisoner Transfers, PC-CP (2010) 21.
Róisín Mulgrew (2010) Report on Consent in International Prisoner Transfers, PC-CP (2010) 21. Consultancy [Details]

Special Issue Editor

  Year Publication
(2023) POST-TRIAL (IN)JUSTICE: REFLECTIONS ON THE LEGACIES AND IMPACTS OF ATROCITY CRIME PROSECUTIONS.
Barborá Hola, Róisín Mulgrew and Maja Munivrana (2023) POST-TRIAL (IN)JUSTICE: REFLECTIONS ON THE LEGACIES AND IMPACTS OF ATROCITY CRIME PROSECUTIONS. Journal of International Criminal Justice, Oxford University Press Special Issue Editor [Details]
(2019) National Prosecutions of International Crimes: Sentencing Practices and (Negotiated) Punishments, Special Issue of the International Criminal Law Review.
Barbora Hola, Roisin Mulgrew and Joris Van Wijk (2019) National Prosecutions of International Crimes: Sentencing Practices and (Negotiated) Punishments, Special Issue of the International Criminal Law Review. Brill Special Issue Editor [Details]

Electronic Publication

  Year Publication
(2024) Instruments of Restraint.
Roisin Mulgrew (2024) Instruments of Restraint. EuroPris Electronic Publication [Details]
(2024) Healthcare in Prisons.
Roisin Mulgrew (2024) Healthcare in Prisons. EuroPris Electronic Publication [Details]
(2024) Right to Information.
Roisin Mulgrew (2024) Right to Information. EuroPris Electronic Publication [Details]
(2023) Transgender Prisoners.
Roisin Mulgrew (2023) Transgender Prisoners. EuroPris Electronic Publication [Details]
(2023) Solitary Confinement.
Roisin Mulgrew (2023) Solitary Confinement. EuroPris Electronic Publication [Details]

Report

  Year Publication
(2024) Improving Prisoner Death Statistics - Policy Brief.
Philippa Tomczak and Roisin Mulgrew (2024) Improving Prisoner Death Statistics - Policy Brief. Report [Details]

Book Review

  Year Publication
(2014) Mary Rogan, Prison Policy in Ireland: Politics, Penal-Welfarism and Political Imprisonment.
Róisín Mulgrew (2014) Mary Rogan, Prison Policy in Ireland: Politics, Penal-Welfarism and Political Imprisonment. Punishment and Society Book Review [DOI] [Details]

Professional Associations

  Association Function From / To
Irish Penal Reform Trust Board Director 27-JUL-24 /
Office of the Inspector of Prisons Expert panel Member 23-AUG-23 /
SAFESOC Advisory Panel 01-SEP-20 /
EuroPris Foreign National in Prison and Probation Expert Group member 01-SEP-13 /

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
2011 University of Nottingham Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching at third level
2011 University of Nottingham PhD International Penal Law
2006 University of Nottingham MA in Socio-Legal and Criminological Research Research Skills
2005 University of Nottingham LLM in International Criminal Justice and Armed Conflict International Criminal Justice and Armed Conflict
2002 National University of Ireland, Galway LLB Law
2001 National University of Ireland, Galway Bachelor of Corporate Law Law

Committees

  Committee Function From / To
Academic Standing Member /
Academic Council Member /
CBPPL Research Committee Member /
School of Law Executive Committee Member /
Research Committee Director /

Current Postgraduate Students (Research)

  Student Degree Type Type
Larissa Lima Doctorate - Structured Ph.D. in the College of Business, Law & Public Policy Supervisor

Modules Taught

  Term/Year Module Title Module Code Subject / Desc
Autumn 2024 Advanced Criminology LW3141
Autumn 2024 onwards Criminology, Criminal Justice and Human Rights LW5215
Autumn 2024 Sentencing and Penal Policy LW485
Spring 2023 to present Imprisonment and Rights LW5214
Spring 2024 to present Victimology LW3155
Autumn 2023 to present Policing LW3154
Spring 2023-2024 Protection of Prisoners Rights Under International Law LW3153
Autumn 2020 to present Dissertation LW450
Autumn 2020 to present Guided Research Essay LW3129
Autumn 2020 to present PHD Research Methodologies AH0256
Autumn 2020 to present Professional Work Placement LW3125

External Collaborators

  Name Organisation / Institute Country Description of Collaboration
Philippa Tomczak and Catherine Appelton prisonDEATH
Preventable prison deaths are common in every country, causing significant harms to families, prisons and societies. prisonDEATH brings together a multidisciplinary team from the University of Nottingham (UoN), University of Galway and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Facilitated by the University of Nottingham Faculty of Social Sciences, this academic team are working in partnership with Penal Reform International and the international community, seeking to put the overlooked issue of prison deaths on the global penal reform agenda. The team are working to examine definitions, trends and international standards on prison deaths, and to develop a research strategy on Reducing, managing and investigating (the harms of) prison deaths worldwide. Supported by prisonHEALTH and the Human Rights Law Centre at UoN, Dr Philippa Tomczak (UoN), Dr Roisin Mulgrew (University of Galway) and Dr Catherine Appleton (NTNU) will work with experts, the wider research team, practitioners and policymakers across law, sociology, penology, human rights, public health and bioethics to provide the first in-depth analysis of (preventable) prison deaths, seeking to reduce the harms of deaths in prison and improve the quality of prison life globally.