Alexander welcomes keeping payouts from prisoners
United Future law and order spokesman Marc Alexander congratulated Justice Minister Phil Goff for today signalling that
legislative changes will be make sure the victims of crime will benefit from any compensation paid to prisoners for
their treatment in prison.
“Well done. It’s an important step in the right direction and one United Future has been pushing for a considerable
time,” Mr Alexander, the author of Justice With Both Eyes Open, a book published earlier this year.
“Anything that puts victims of crime at the top of the list, and criminals where they belong, at the bottom, is a good
start,” Mr Alexander said in also calling for greater powers for handling dangerous and particularly difficult
prisoners.
Speaking against the backdrop of a current legal bid for some $600,000 in compensation by four prisoners for alleged
mistreatment in prison, Mr Alexander said that while there should be no room for abuse or ill treatment of prisoners,
Corrections officers needed reasonable means of controlling at times near-uncontrollable prisoners.
“These are in fact prisons. They’re not Boy Scout jamborees. We’re dealing with some of the worst elements of society.
“The focus needs to continue to change from this soft-touch, bleeding heart approach,” Mr Alexander said.