D.12 Highest Risk Offenders (HRX-HRHP) - Information Sharing with the Police and other Specified Agencies (National Policy)

Policy Standard

• Offenders who profile with a very high probability of re-offending are identified as Highest Risk Offenders (HRX prisoners), and specific information about them is shared with the New Zealand Police and other specified agencies to protect the public.

Purpose

The purpose of identifying highest-risk offenders is to protect the public by sharing information with the NZ Police (the Police) and other specified agencies about the release of these offenders:

1. to assist the monitoring of compliance of highest-risk offenders with their conditions of release;
2. to assist in facilitating the rehabilitation of highest-risk offenders;
3. to facilitate the reintegration of highest-risk offenders into the community;
4. to manage the risk that the offender may commit further offences;
5. to identify any increased risk that the offender may breach his or her conditions or will commit further offences.

HRX contributes to the better management of such offenders by the Department in conjunction with the Police.

Performance Standards

1. Information about HRX prisoners shared between the Department and the New Zealand Police and other specified agencies is in accordance with the Corrections Act 2004, Official Information Act 1982, the Privacy Act 1993, the Sentencing Act 2002 and the Parole Act 2002.
2. The sharing of information about HRX prisoners for Police is carried out in a manner consistent with Schedule 4 of the Information Sharing Agreement between the Department and the New Zealand Police.
3. Community Probation and Psychological Service (CPPS) is responsible for advising the NZ Police of the release of an HRX prisoner.
4. Each prison must have agreements in place with their local Police stations and other specified agencies that record procedures and methods of information exchange about HRX offenders.
5. The sharing of information about HRX offenders for other specified agencies is carried out in a manner consistent with any Information Sharing Agreement between the Department and the specified agency entered into, in accordance with section 182D of the Corrections Act.
6. For the purpose of section 182D, a specified agency is:
   1. The Department of Corrections;
   2. The New Zealand Police; and
   3. any public sector agency that the Minister of Justice, after consultation with the Privacy Commissioner identifies as a specified agency by notice in the Gazette.
7. Information disclosed for the purposes of section 182D may be disclosed prior to the offender's release from prison.