ACT Wants Tougher Prison Call Monitoring
ACT Justice Spokesman Patricia Schnauer today said the monitoring of prisoners phone calls is an urgent priority.
"The legislation before Parliament today to allow some prisoner's phone calls to be monitored has been held up for far
too long.
"But, I am amazed that on the one hand Government wants to prevent crime being organised from prisons by monitoring
telephone calls but, at the same time, intends telling those inmates when their calls are being listened in to. That's
just ridiculous.
"As a Member of the Justice and Law Reform Select Committee I will be strongly recommending that this Bill is made a lot
tougher.
"The fact that legislation has to be introduced to monitor inmates telephone calls is a sign of how over legislated our
society has become.
"This initiative is a priority. Every day prisoners' calls go unchecked is another day that criminals get away with
directing and co-ordinating serious crimes from prisons.
"At least one life has been taken as a result of a crime that was planned on a prison to prison conference call. Prisons
are supposed to keep New Zealanders safe from criminals, prisons should not be a taxpayer funded head office for gangs.
"The monitoring of prisoners calls is vital to getting tough on criminals and keeping New Zealanders safe," said
Patricia Schnauer.
ENDS