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NOVEMBER 1, <strong>2016</strong><br />
Myopic approach short-changes<br />
New Zealanders<br />
Homelink<br />
05<br />
Mahesh Bindra<br />
In 2011 the government<br />
announced, with much<br />
fanfare, its target of<br />
‘Reducing Reoffending by<br />
25% by 2017.’<br />
New Zealand First, along<br />
with many others, did not<br />
believe them.<br />
Statistics were thrown in<br />
the air, slogans were coined,<br />
speeches were delivered and<br />
a new outfit called ‘Rehabilitation<br />
and Reintegration<br />
Service’ was established to<br />
achieve the coveted target.<br />
Shoulders were tapped and<br />
butchers and bricklayers were<br />
hired as ‘Managers’ to lead a<br />
team of Case Managers and<br />
Sentence Planners, who were<br />
more qualified and experienced<br />
than their bosses!<br />
By the government’s own<br />
admission, 7% reduction in reoffending<br />
has been achieved<br />
as against the targeted 25%.<br />
Getting worse<br />
Given the way Corrections<br />
Services are being managed, it<br />
will only get worse.<br />
The failed attempt will<br />
impact on the government’s<br />
claimed surplus and the<br />
possible tax-cuts.<br />
The government recently<br />
announced a multi-billion-dol-<br />
lar prison expansion.<br />
This will cost about $2.5 billion<br />
to build and operate over<br />
six years to accommodate<br />
the increase in prison muster<br />
we face currently and in the<br />
future.<br />
The proportion of offenders<br />
charged with a series<br />
of offences has risen which<br />
means more people are<br />
being remanded in custody<br />
and serving more of their<br />
sentences in prison.<br />
This, despite the government’s<br />
claim that crime has<br />
reduced in New Zealand.<br />
The figures also underline<br />
the need for an improved<br />
youth justice system as at<br />
least 50% of all adult prisoners<br />
have previous convictions<br />
as youth.<br />
Utter failure<br />
All the facts highlight the<br />
government’s failure to focus<br />
on the early stages of this<br />
issue including law enforcement<br />
and the youth justice<br />
system as opposed to their<br />
reactive approach, after the<br />
offence has been committed<br />
and the individual has been<br />
charged and sentenced to<br />
prison.<br />
As a result of this<br />
short-sighted approach,<br />
New Zealand tax-payers will<br />
continue to spend more and<br />
receive less as far as reducing<br />
reoffending is concerned.<br />
Mahesh Bindra is Member<br />
of Parliament on New<br />
Zealand First List and the<br />
Party’s Spokesperson for<br />
Corrections, Ethnic Affairs,<br />
Customs and Land Information.<br />
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