Ice-Cream Top up for Corrections Unlikely to Turn Prisoners Around

New Zealand First is puzzled how an ice-cream top-up in Budget 2015 will do anything to stop re-offending, says New Zealand First.

“At only $2.02 a day extra for each of the 8803 prisoners the $6.5 million will scarcely make an impact over a year,” says Spokesperson for Corrections Mahesh Bindra. “That’s around the cost of a single scoop of ice-cream.

“It goes against the claims of Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iga that rehabilitation is a ‘key focus’ of the National government.

“It’s a pittance when the Minister claims a one per cent drop in re-offending saves millions in costs, including to justice.

“Budget 2015 has failed to address the victims of crime, does nothing for prison staff safety and contains no support for redundant staff. Meanwhile, National is giving millions to a foreign corporate to run and profit from New Zealand prisons.

“It is quite clear where the government’s priorities are, and they are not about getting prisoners rehabilitated to make communities safer and help prisoners to turn their lives around,” says Mr Bindra.

ENDS

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