Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Failings within Corrections acknowledged

Failings within Corrections acknowledged


Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today acknowledged the release of the Department of Corrections’ Chief Custodial Officer’s Review of the Failure to Return from Temporary Release of Phillip John Smith.

“This review shows there were a number of failings within Corrections regarding the management of the prisoner in the lead-up to his absconding,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.

“The main issue was that the plan to manage the prisoner was misinformed.”

As well as the failure to manage the prisoner adequately, the review showed there was conflicting information about the risks the prisoner posed, issues with the sponsor selection process and flaws in the policy for managing prisoners on temporary release, says Mr Lotu-Iiga.

“In addition, the review shows the response from staff at Spring Hill Corrections Facility was passive. They did not have a clear process to follow once suspicions were raised as to the prisoner’s whereabouts,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.

“Quite simply, this is not good enough and reflects poorly on Corrections’ handling of this case. It is the right of all New Zealanders to trust Corrections to manage prisoners for the safety and security of the public. That trust has been sorely tested and there is a great deal of work to do to restore it.

“Corrections’ internal review made 13 recommendations to improve the temporary release process and they are adopting all 13 of them.

The key recommendations are:

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

• Making GPS monitoring the default for all prisoners on temporary release unless authorised by the prison manager

• Limiting temporary releases to a maximum of 12 hours, unless approved by the National Commissioner

• Convening a multi-disciplinary panel chaired by the prison manager to consider all temporary releases (This panel will include Police, CYF, a local community representative, Psychologist and Probation staff)

“In addition to these recommendations I have asked Corrections for further advice as to whether a wider review of the Corrections Act 2004 is needed. I want to ensure that the Act is fit for purpose and adequately reflects the needs and expectations of the Corrections environment.”

Mr Lotu-Iiga says Corrections’ internal review will also inform the Government Inquiry into the matter, as announced by State Services Minister Paula Bennett yesterday.

A summary of the review and recommendations will be available on the Corrections website.

ends

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.