National’s Corrections spokesperson Simeon Brown needs to support the Corrections Association’s calls for minimum mandatory sentences for inmates who attack prison guards, says Darroch Ball co-leader of Sensible Sentencing Trust.

“Brown has spoken out against Minster of Corrections Kelvin Davis for doing ‘nothing to prioritise the wellbeing of frontline corrections officers facing an increasing number of assaults from prisoners.’”

“With the massive increase in assaults over the past few years Association President Alan Whitley has been screaming out for harsher penalties to be brought in to act as a proper deterrent and to hold offenders to account.”

“National has a chance now to back corrections officers and show they would take a tough, zero-tolerance stance with these violent inmates."

“The ‘Protection for First Responders and Prison Officers’ members bill is currently before the Justice Select Committee and seeks to bring in mandatory six-month prison sentences for anyone who assaults first responders or corrections officers.”

“This bill is backed by the Association and National needs to back it too.”

“The mandatory prison sentence it seeks to bring is the type of tough action that is needed to reflect the severity of the offence. National has a chance to show what action they would take if in government," says Mr Ball.

“Brown stated that they ‘wouldn’t sit by and do nothing while our prison officers suffered.’”

“He needs to show that a National Government would back up their words with action, support the Corrections Association, and come down hard on these violent inmates.”
 

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