Simon Power
National Party Law & Order Spokesman

15 November 2006

Violent, sex and drug offenders make up 50% of home detention muster

Half of the people on home detention have been convicted of violence, sex or drug offences, says National’s Law & Order spokesman, Simon Power.

“When home detention was introduced, the public was not expecting people convicted of these types of offences to be put back into the community.

“When it was first introduced, Corrections Minister Clem Simich said candidates for the scheme would be those who posed minimal risk to the community, such as those convicted of fraud or driving offences.”

He is releasing figures which show that in 2005/06, of the total number of offenders sentenced to home detention:

* 25.5% were convicted of violence-related offences, compared with 12.6% when Labour came to power in 1999.
* 19.5% were convicted of drug or anti-social offences.
* 5% were convicted of sexual-related offences, compared with 3% in 1999.

“I am sure the public will be very surprised at the number of these offenders who are not behind bars.

“Home detention should be for low-level, non-violent offenders only, not for people convicted of violence, sex and drug offences.

“I imagine we can expect more of these types of offenders on home detention under Labour’s catch-and-release policy to deal with the rising prison population.”

ENDS

For home detention figures:
http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/0611/powerhdq.pdf

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