Appropriation - Information and Administrative Services to the Judiciary and New Zealand Parole Board

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This appropriation is limited to the provision of information about offenders to victims of crime, the Judiciary and the New Zealand Parole Board (NZPB), and the provision of administrative, financial and secretariat services to the NZPB.

What we do

This appropriation encompasses three outputs, information services to the Judiciary, information services to the NZPB and information and administrative services to victims.

Information services to the Judiciary focuses on the preparation of reports that provide sentencing Judges with information about offenders, to assist with the sentencing process. This service includes attendance at court, prosecutions, and attendance at sentencing resulting from probation initiated proceedings. This output ultimately supports the Judiciary to make informed decisions.

Information to the NZPB focuses on ensuring reports provide information to the NZPB to assist with decisions regarding a prisoner’s release from prison. It also provides progress reports to the NZPB on offender compliance with the conditions of their parole orders. This output ultimately supports the NZPB to make informed decisions regarding a prisoner’s release.

Information and administrative services focuses on the administration of victim notification services. Corrections has a responsibility to notify registered victims about specific events as detailed in the Victims’ Rights Act 2002. The New Zealand Police refer details of registered victims to Corrections.

Operating Context

 

Previous Years

Current Year

Next Year

Activity Information

2011/12 Actual standard2012/13 Actual standard2013/14 Actual standard2014/15 Actual standard2014/15 Budget standard2014/15 Variance2015/16 Budget standard

Number of Reports and Hours

The number of reports provided to court:

53,399

47,494

39,420

39,736

44,557

(4,821)

N/A*

  • probation reports

53,286

47,310

39,266

39,545

44,332

(4,787)

N/A*

  • psychological reports

113

184

154

191

225

(34)

N/A*

The number of court attendance hours

102,159

97,561

106,740

83,651

99,227

(15,576)

99,000 – 101,000

The number of Electronic Monitoring Bail (EM Bail) applications submitted to court

–

New for 2013/14

1,319

2,835

2,500

335

2,500

The number of reports provided to the NZPB:

8,352

8,249

8,210

7,932

6,868

1,064

N/A*

  • parole assessment reports

6,725

6,772

6,622

6,417

5,369

1,048

N/A*

  • parole progress reports

415

320

307

330

299

31

N/A*

  • psychological reports

1,212

1,157

1,281

1,185

1,200

(15)

N/A*

Number of Victim Referrals

The number of victim referrals received from the New Zealand Police

754

753

912

1,019

≥1,800

(781)

N/A*

Number of Hearings

The number of NZPB hearings where administrative support was required

8,942

8,614

8,718

8,045

8,500

(455)

8,000 – 8,500

* This measure has been excluded from the 2015/16 budget and will not be reported in 2015/16.

The number of reports provided to the courts is broadly the same as last year. This is in line with the overall community-based offender population.

Although the number of victim referrals received from New Zealand Police was 48% under the standard expected, it was still significantly higher than volumes experienced in the previous years. The large increase in the expected volume (2013/14: ≥700, 2014/15: ≥ 1,800) was the estimated impact of proposed changes to the Victims Reform Bill at the time estimates were being prepared.

How we performed

Information Services to the Judiciary

 

Previous years

Current Year

Next Year

Performance Measures

2011/12 Actual Standard

2012/13 Actual Standard

2013/14 Actual Standard

2014/15 Actual Standard

2014/15 Budget Standard

2014/15 Variance

2015/16 Budget Standard

Quality

The percentage of probation reports provided to court that met quality standards9

97%

98%

98%

98%

≥90%

8%

N/A*

Timeliness

The percentage of reports provided to court, within agreed timeframes before sentencing:10

  • probation reports

95%

94%

94%

94%

≥95%

(1%)

≥95%

  • psychological reports

98%

84%

94%

89%

≥95%

(6%)

≥95%

9. Probation reports are completed to formal standards as set out in the Community Probation Supported Decision Framework.

10. Probation reports are completed to timeframes as set out in the Integrated Practice Framework. Specific timeframes are provided in respect of each of the individual report types that are included under the heading of ‘probation’ reports. Psychological reports are provided to court at least two working days before sentencing where a request is received.

* This measure has been excluded from the 2015/16 budget and will not be reported in 2015/16.

Although quality continues to exceed the performance standards, timeliness of the provison of reports, in particular psychological reports is below expectations. This will remain a focus for Corrections in 2015/16.

Information Services to the New Zealand Parole Board (NZPB)

 

Previous Years

Current Year

Next Year

Performance Measures

2011/12 Actual standard

2012/13 Actual standard

2013/14 Actual standard

2014/15 Actual standard

2014/15 Budget standard

2014/15 Variance

2015/16 Budget standard

Quality

The percentage of parole progress reports provided to agreed quality standards pursuant to NZPB requirements

99%

97%

95%

98%

90%

8%

N/A*

Timeliness

The percentage of reports provided to agreed timeframes pursuant to NZPB requirements:11

  • parole assessment reports

85%

88%

88%

90%

≥75%

15%

≥75%

  • parole progress reports

97%

96%

93%

96%

≥95%

1%

≥95%

  • psychological reports

95%

94%

94%

95%

≥90%

5%

≥90%

11. Parole assessment reports are provided to the NZPB at least 15 working days prior to the hearing date. Parole progress reports are provided to the NZPB at least 10 working days prior to the hearing date. Psychological reports are prepared for the NZPB at least five weeks prior to the hearing date.

Corrections has continued to exceed the performance standard for the quality and timeliness of reports provided to the NZPB. There has been an increase in the performance across all measures from the 2013/14 performance results.

Information and Administrative Services to Victims

 

Previous Years

Current Year

Next Year

Performance Measures

2011/12 Actual standard

2012/13 Actual standard

2013/14 Actual standard

2014/15 Actual standard

2014/15 Budget standard

2014/15 Variance

2015/16 Budget standard

Quality and Timeliness

The number of justified complaints about notification services received from registered victims12

Nil

1

2

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

12. The Victims Rights’ Act 2002 imposes clear obligations on specified agencies to provide information and offer assistance to victims of offences. This measure demonstrates that the department is meeting its legislative requirements and providing victims with notification of events relating to those who offended against them.

* This measure has been excluded from the 2015/16 budget and will not be reported in 2015/16.

There were no justified complaints about notifications received from registered victims.

Administrative Services to the NZPB

 

Previous Years

Current Year

Next Year

Performance Measures

2011/12 Actual standard

2012/13 Actual standard

2013/14 Actual standard

2014/15 Actual standard

2014/15 Budget standard

2014/15 Variance

2015/16 Budget standard

Quality

The percentage of offenders who are notified as per NZPB requirement13

100%

100%

100%

100%

≥98%

2%

≥98%

The percentage of victims who are notified as per NZPB requirement

100%

100%

100%

100%

≥98%

2%

≥98%

Timeliness

The percentage of all cases scheduled to be heard by the NZPB that are scheduled no later than 16 weeks from the date of the hearing

100%

100%

100%

100%

≥98%

2%

≥98%

13. Offenders are notified of an impending hearing no later than 14 days from the date of the hearing. Offenders are notified of a Board decision no later than 14 days following receipt of the signed decision.

Corrections continues to exceed the performance standard for administration services to the NZPB.

How much did it cost?

 

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

 

Actual $000

Actual $000

Budget (unaudited) $000

Supplementary estimates (unaudited) $000

Forecast* (unaudited) $000

Revenue

Crown

54,193

51,687

53,277

51,687

50,768

Departmental

14

8

–

11

–

Other

–

–

–

–

–

Total revenue

54,207

51,695

53,277

51,698

50,768

Total expenses

51,767

51,672

53,277

51,698

50,768

Net surplus/(deficit)

2,440

23

-

-

-

* Forecast financial statements have been prepared using Budget Economic Fiscal Update (BEFU) 2015

The total expense for this appropriation was $51.7 million. Approximately half of the costs associated with this appropriation are staff related. Reports written by our staff are used to provide the Judiciary and NZPB with relevant offender information.

Refer to the chart below for the composition of total expenditure by major category.

Composition of total information and administrative services to the Judiciary and NZPB expenses: direct personnel costs $28.3 million 55%, other direct costs $5.4 million 10%, IT costs $6.4 million 12%, property costs $2.6 million 5%, other overheads $9.0 million 18%.

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