Managing in a changeable environment

Like everybody else, Corrections is operating within an environment of sustained fiscal constraint, alongside an expectation of better, smarter public services.

In an environment that is constantly changing we are always seeking new ways to do things, and we are responding to the challenge with a number of initiatives. An expenditure review has identified opportunities for savings, and we are now implementing the recommendations. We have completed an organisational restructure with a focus on facilitating regional approaches to regional problems. The new structure encourages our staff to work more effectively with each other and with our partners, and ensures our back office structures better support the delivery of frontline services. Implementation of the prison reconfiguration project and the prison services modernisation programme will ensure we work more efficiently and effectively.

Working with our partners to achieve our goals

We will work closely with our justice sector partners (Ministry of Justice and New Zealand Police) and other Government agencies (such as Ministry of Social Development, Work and Income New Zealand, Ministry of Health, Housing New Zealand Corporation), to seek out new collaborative opportunities in areas like intelligence sharing, custodial activities, prisoner escorts and transport, electronic bail monitoring, and training. We will work with the Ministry of Justice to develop legislative changes which will support us to achieve our goals. Through our partnerships with Serco and SecureFuture, we will draw on their expertise to expand our initiatives and implement best practice.

Taking new approaches to secure employment opportunities

Stable employment significantly decreases the likelihood of re-offending and the current job market remains a challenge for offenders. This means thinking outside the box and taking new approaches to secure post-release employment opportunities for prisoners. The programmes we have already introduced to help offenders find and maintain employment are proving very successful. We will expand these programmes, and develop our partnerships with employers and industries, to create more employment opportunities for released prisoners. We will establish more of our prisons as working prisons where all prisoners will be engaged in a structured 40-hour week of activities including employment, training and education programmes, and rehabilitation and reintegration programmes. At the same time, we will continue to work with key stakeholders in the public and private sectors to align prisoner employment and training activities in the three Christchurch prisons towards assisting with the Christchurch rebuild.

Building supportive community networks

We recognise that community groups, non-Government organisations, and iwi play an
integral role in supporting offenders in the community, and Corrections is focused on
building effective networks to support offenders to complete their sentences, and live
offence-free lives, helping us drive down re-offending further.