Kaumatua Visits Another Example Of Soft On Crime Approach

Thursday 9 May 2002

Matt Robson's new scheme to allow kaumatua greater access to Maori in prison, is just another example of the Labour/Alliance government's soft-on-crime approach, ACT leader Richard Prebble says.

"The concept that jail might be a punishment seems to have escaped Mr Robson.

"There's no evidence, anywhere, that having kaumatua visit prisoners has any effect on reducing re-offending.

"The government is ignoring a referendum in which 92 percent of voters asked for tougher sentences for violent offenders. Instead, the government is reducing the length of sentences and making prison even softer.

"Prisoners already have colour TV in their cells and now they can have visits from anyone who claims to be a kaumatua. The way things are going, that virtually means any Maori over 50 years old," Mr Prebble said.

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