Simon Power
National Party Law & Order Spokesman

27 November 2006

P and KFC consumed in prisons

Reports by an ex-inmate that pure methamphetamine or 'P' is being openly smoked in the exercise yard at Mt. Eden Prison while guards stay in their offices shows just how ineffective the Corrections system has become, says National's Law & Order spokesman, Simon Power.

"It's bad enough this dangerous drug can be smuggled into prison in the first place, but if inmates can blatantly smoke it, then clearly they're being inadequately monitored."

The inmate told a TVNZ reporter that during the six weeks he spent on remand, he was offered P three times.

"This at a time when the number of prison inmates testing positive for amphetamine-type drugs has increase almost five-fold since 1999, says Mr Power.

"The Government claims its increasing drug rehabilitation programmes in prisons but they aren't stopping inmates from using in the first place. "Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that 91.3% of prisoners at Mt Eden don't do any meaningful work."

The former inmate also claimed that marijuana, buckets of KFC and other contraband items are offered for sale in the exercise yard at Mt Eden.

"How the department doesn't notice a bucket of fried chicken being smuggled in and eaten just begs belief.

"Knowing this Government, they'll be more concerned about the health risks posed by the chicken than the P."

ENDS

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