27 October 2011
Government Escalates Fear to Divert Realities of a Private Prison Nation
National are again pandering to the fear of crime rather than the reality of the private prison nation says MANA Justice
spokesperson Annette Sykes.
"Once again this Government is playing up to the fear of crime, rather than the reality that our Crime rate has been
falling as it has across the developed world because of better employment opportunities and aging risk groups.”
Ms Sykes says it is ridiculous to be bringing in harsh new bail restrictions that will only impact 50 prisoners at best.
“Surely the vast erosions of our civil liberties rammed through under urgency by this Government that allow the Police
and State departments to break into our homes and spy on us alongside the Police being able to take you DNA for merely
being arrested would be enough to pacify the lynch mob factions of NZ, sadly it does not.
“This Government should focus on Bill English's own description of our prison system as a moral and economic failure,
the only winners in this latest kneejerk by the Government are the private prison companies who will make more money
from locking up more New Zealanders."
ENDS