Since becoming Minister of Corrections, I have had the pleasure of meeting many Corrections staff, and talking to them about how Corrections plays an important role in ensuring public safety.
Each day, Corrections staff manage some of the country’s most difficult and dangerous people. I believe that keeping the public safe is one of the most important jobs in New Zealand.
But it is just as important that Corrections staff keep themselves safe while carrying out their duties.
Few things cause me greater concern than the safety and wellbeing of those who work in our prisons or those managing offenders in the community. For a Minister, there can be no worse news than that a staff member has been attacked or hurt.
There will always be an element of risk in working with offenders, but there are many things that can be done to minimise that risk.
It is a priority of the Government to ensure that Corrections staff are as safe as they can possibly be. That means making sure staff are properly resourced, properly trained and that there are enough staff on deck to prevent emergencies and to deal with them quickly and safely when they occur.
The Government must also ensure that laws are in place that allow Corrections staff to find and confiscate any contraband that might be used as a weapon or create disruption and disorder within prisons. An example of this is the recent passing of the Corrections Amendment Act which has introduced new measures to tackle contraband entering prisons, making prisons safer for all.
I have been impressed by the Staff Safety Project in Prison Services. That project has seen staff, unions and managers work together to identify ways to improve safety, including possible improvements in personal protective equipment provided to staff and mechanisms to respond more effectively to serious incidents. I am looking forward to receiving the recommendations from that project.
It is not just staff in prisons who need to also be prepared for unpredictable or dangerous situations.
In the near future Community Probation & Psychological Services staff across the country will undertake training in how to respond to incidents that could occur in service centres.
The majority of frontline staff at the centres will have already completed training in managing threatening situations, and have an understanding of de-escalation techniques and removing themselves from potentially dangerous circumstances safely.
It is intended that this training will further add to their knowledge. I hope it is training that they will not need to call on often… or ever.
Improving safety should be an ongoing process. Often the best ideas for improving safety come from those who are at the frontline. I encourage staff at all levels to think about how their jobs can be improved and feel confident to raise their ideas with their managers.
I will also be talking to the Chief Executive about ways to improve safety, and receiving regular updates on initiatives already under way. Practical ideas that make working in the corrections system safer for everyone will have my full support.
Hon Judith Collins
Minister of Corrections
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ISSN 1178-8453