Welcome to the New Year and the first issue of Corrections News for 2010.
This year will be a time for completing, and building on, the changes we began in 2009.
The Way Forward performance improvement programme continues apace. The establishment of a new group, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Services, will see us work in a more unified and holistic way, co-ordinating and aligning all of our efforts to rehabilitate prisoners and help them stay crime-free on release.
I extend a warm welcome to Alison Thom, the new General Manger of Rehabilitation and Reintegration Services.
Community Probation Service staff are continuing to improve their compliance levels with procedures. Compliance with procedures for managing parole is at an excellent 94 percent. The wider performance of staff across all of the nine different sentences and orders (including parole) is above 80 percent (84 percent in November 2009).
While we all want to see this figure continue to improve, these results have been achieved in the context of increasing volumes in some of the sentences which makes them even more significant. I am very pleased with this result; it is great to see the hard work and commitment of probation staff paying off.
Given the Employment Court’s decision late last year, work is continuing on the initiative to extend double bunking in our four newest regional prisons so we can manage increasing prisoner numbers. Whilst the Corrections Association has chosen to appeal the decision, we are continuing to discuss the issues with them and hope we can agree a mutually satisfactory conclusion.
Three modified shipping container cells have now arrived at Rimutaka Prison. Work is now proceeding to build the additional infrastructure and recruit the additional staff required to support both double-bunking and the container-based cells.
Looking ahead, other initiatives which will be important in 2010 and beyond include the recent passing of the legislation to allow the private management of prisons, and the development of the whare oranga ake service model which would see the introduction of independent rehabilitation services for Māori prisoners.
I am confidant that the Department is now more able than ever before to face the challenges ahead and I look forward to working with you in what will be a busy and productive year.
Barry Matthews
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ISSN 1178-8453
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