Why Provide Work in Prisons?

The Department’s Strategic Business Plan 2003 – 2008 sets out how it will deliver on its primary outcome of Safer Communities by:

• Protecting the Public; and
• Reducing Re-offending.

The Plan identifies four strategic themes that will guide the Department’s work over the period.  They are:

1. Ensuring effective offender management;
2. Improving responsiveness to Māori;
3. Contributing to reducing re-offending; and
4. Enhancing capability and capacity.

Under Theme 3, the Department provides rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives that allow offenders to address their offending behaviour.  The Department has invested in best practice approaches towards successful rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders in recent years. Further work is needed to improve the effectiveness of initiatives designed to reduce re-offending.

Research indicates that sustainable post-release employment contributes to reducing re-offending 1. The Department provides employment and employment related training in prisons to increase the chance that prisoners have the skills, ability and motivation to obtain sustainable post-release employment.

In addition to assisting in reducing re-offending, structured employment and employment related training opportunities will reduce idleness of prisoners and tensions in prison. This facilitates the effective management of prisoners.

This Prisoner Employment Strategy is designed to contribute to Theme 3 by:

• increasing the range and quality of employment and employment related training for significantly more prisoners, to meet both prisoner need and potential employer expectations;
• increasing the level and relevance of National Qualifications Framework (NQF) unit and achievement standards awarded and other quality education;
• reducing idleness and tension of prisoners and therefore contributing to effective management of prisoners; and
• improving the sustainability of business-like industries operated by the Department, to provide employment for significantly more prisoners.