30 April 2008
The Department of Corrections today released its first Offender Volumes Report.
The Department will publish the Offender Volumes Report (OVR) annually and it will be available on the Department's public website (www.corrections.govt.nz).
"The new Offender Volumes Report replaces the old biennial Prison Census that was carried out from 1987-2003," says Peter Johnston, Manager Strategy and Research.
"The OVR includes trends for both offenders being managed in the community, and trends in the prison population.
"By drawing on historic sentence and release records, the Offender Volumes Report shows trends across Corrections' work since 1980."
The Offender Volumes Report provides breakdowns of offenders by age, gender, ethnicity, offence type, sentence type and length, and a range of other variables.
"As well as providing 'snapshot' counts of offenders, the OVR gives a perspective of annual 'throughput' providing a clearer picture of how the various trends have developed over time," says Dr Johnston.
"The Offender Volumes Report is based on tracking the progress of each offender throughout their contact with the Department.
"Not only does the OVR allow users to look at the offender population the Department manages each year, it puts these trends in the context of all offenders the Department has ever managed since 1980. This allows a clearer understanding of how offender numbers are changing with time and not just changes to offence counts.
"For example the OVR shows the relative number of repeat offenders as compared to first time offenders that the Department has managed in the 2006-2007 year.
"The report tracks the volumes of offenders who pass through the various areas that the Department has to manage. The Department will use this aspect of the report to help shape policy and assist with planning."
Key trends that have emerged from the report include the increasing volumes of offenders managed currently on community sentences and orders, the steadily increasing prison population over the last 27 years, and the fact that the average age of prisoners is increasing.
ENDS
Notes to Reporter:
For further information email commdesk@corrections.govt.nz or phone (04) 460 3365.