Media Release
7 September 2005
Corrections Negligent - Mark
New Zealand First law and order spokesman Ron Mark is appalled but not surprised at yet another failure by the
Department of Corrections that has resulted in the rape of an eight -year-old girl.
His comments came after it was revealed that the department placed a 17-year-old into a school for community work,
despite knowing that he was the subject of sexual allegations, without informing either his supervisors or the school.
The offender later raped the girl and molested her brother.
“How many times do we have to see people’s lives being ruined because of Corrections’ negligence in their job of keeping
the public safe from offenders?’ asked Mr Mark.
“It is just unacceptable to gamble with people’s lives by placing criminals in their midst without fully informing
everyone involved of the facts. It is worse when the safety of our most vulnerable is at stake.
“This is just another on a long list of failures by Corrections that has seen offenders let loose on an unsuspecting
public, be that through community work, parole or home detention. As a result yet another family’s life has been
destroyed.
“The public has a right to expect protection from violent offenders, and New Zealand First intends to address that by
introducing a new sentencing regime, abolishing back-end home detention and ending parole as a right,’ said Mr Mark.
ENDS