Prisoners Eager to Work – but not in chains

Prison Fellowship’s experience is that prisoners are eager to work – and they don’t need to be put in chains to do it. The idea that prisoners enjoy being chained during work is a nonsense – what would they do if they had a choice?” He was responding to Stephen Franks comment on the TV3 Campbell Live Programme, (Monday, 20th August), that only 4% of New Zealand prisoners are in work. “In fact, 40% of all prisoners are in employment” says Project Leader of the Rethinking Crime and Punishment Project, Kim Workman.

“I suspect that Stephen may have had an accidental slip of the tongue. Our visits to the prisons confirm that there are more prisoners in meaningful work than a year ago – with 416 new work positions found over the last year. This improvement has followed criticism from the Ombudsman, the Salvation Army and others, and represents a 4% increase in prisoners in employment over the last 12 months. The aim is to have 60% of all prisoners in employment by June 2010.”

“This time last year, there were 20 prisoners on release to work; today there are 115.”

The important issue to watch for, is the difference between ‘prison jobs’ e.g. maintenance and routine housekeeping, and ‘real jobs’, job training and employment opportunities which fit people for sustainable employment when they leave. At present the split is around 50/50, with a growing emphasis on giving prisoners NZQA qualifications, works skills training for the local labour market, and the acquisition of industry related skills.

The next step in the process, is to encourage employers to commit to the employment of prisoners on release.

ENDS

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