CIE: More than a fair market player

‘Stony response to jail concrete’ and ‘Concrete workers’ jobs taken by inmates’ are a couple of this year’s media headlines. But as CIE National Manager Brent Maughan explains, undercutting the market is not an option for Corrections.

“When CIE goes to tender we do so at market prices. It is true that prisoners only receive a small incentive, depending on their level of skill. But there are many additional costs faced by prison industries that are not faced by private industries.

"These include low productivity, high labour turnover rates, high training costs and high supervision ratios.

“While the make-up of costs is different for prison industries, any product from prison industries which is sold in the private sector is priced on the basis of a competitive market-related price.

“What CIE gives back to the community also has enormous value. Gaining employment and training skills is good for prisoners. It equips them to achieve and helps them to secure a job on release. Having a legitimate job means they are paying taxes, providing for their families and gives them the opportunity to lead crime-free lives.”

Skill shortages
“When setting up business opportunities we identify skill shortages in the marketplace,” Brent explains. “We do this by working with other organisations such as the Department of Labour and the Ministry of Social Development.

"As a result we establish employment and training activities that provide prisoners the opportunity to attain skills that are sought after and valued.

"Examples of recent start ups include; building construction, small engines and painting – these new activities complement the wide range of existing skills training that CIE offers.”

Pathways
Prisoners follow training and employment pathways relevant to the industry they are training in. Higher security prisoners can receive theoretical classroom based training which prepares them for entering CIE business activities as their security classification allows.

Prisoners who are low to medium security take part in practical job training in business industries within the prisons themselves. An example is the copier assembly work that is done at Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility for Canon. See New dimension in work for Canon.When prisoners reach the lowest security classification and meet other strict eligibility criteria, they can be placed in a job in the community on the Release to Work programme. This programme is available to prisoners nearing the end of their sentence.

Each day prisoners leave the prison to work for an approved employer, with a view to gaining employment on release. This gives prisoners the chance to get into the habit of going to work, accepting self responsibility, participating in a commercial work environment and earning funds to support themselves upon release.

They use the money to pay board, victim reparation, outstanding fines, family support and the rest is put in a trust account for the prisoner.

Brent says, “What is really encouraging is that approximately half of the prisoners who are participating on the Release to Work programme at the time of their release leave the prison employed.”

Within prisons, training is provided either by CIE instructors or by polytechnic tutors who teach specialised classes inside the prison. The overall goal is to improve prisoners’ future employment prospects, making a long term contribution to their rehabilitation, thereby reducing re-offending.

Apart from learning skills and gaining some industry qualifications, training and employment opportunities for prisoners are important because they learn work ethics, team work, managing deadlines, how to produce a quality product and to communicate effectively.
 
Brent says, “We have developed strong partnerships with private businesses to assist in training prisoners. Companies such as NZ Peat, Stone Strong and Fulton Hogan are integral to our operations. We also collaborate with other Government agencies such as Housing New Zealand Corporation and the Ministry of Social Development.”