Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Government needs Goal to Reduce Imprisonment
Government needs Goal to Reduce Imprisonment
Media Release: Government needs
Goal to Reduce Imprisonment
Embargoed until 10.30am Friday, 17th May
The Government should have a goal not only to reduce reoffending, but to reduce imprisonment, says Kim Workman, Spokesperson for Rethinking Crime and Punishment, in a keynote address to the Restorative Justice Aotearoa Conference, held in Auckland.
“The Better Public Service Action Plan is notable for its set of aspirational targets, including the reduction of reoffending by 25%. It fails however, to make the connection between the reduction of reoffending, and the use of imprisonment. Setting a goal to reduce the imprisonment rate by 25%, and then developing a strategy to achieve that goal, would be a significant step forward.
“This last year the number of recorded offences is at its lowest since 1989, and the rate of recorded crime is the lowest since 1979. The youth crime rate has also decreased significantly. The rate of apprehensions of children and young people fell by 23 per cent between 2002 and 2011. What hasn’t changed is the level of imprisonment – it was 8,600 a year ago, and is 8,600 today.”
“The limited effectiveness of imprisonment is well documented, and the evidence is clear. Too put it bluntly, prison is a cause of crime. The current paradigm is that if you reduce . reoffending, the prison population will reduce. That has not happened. The more effective paradigm is that if you limit the use of prison, reoffending will reduce. There is good evidence to support that view – the challenge then is to develop alternatives.
“A target to reduce the imprisonment rate by 25%
to 150 per 100,000 would reduce the imprisonment rate to the
1999 level. It would bring New Zealand just below the
current imprisonment level in England and Wales (152) , but
above that of Australia (134). It represents a potential
annual saving of $200m per annum.”
Reference: Link to
speech at: http://www.rethinking.org.nz/assets/Speeches/Doing_Restorative_Justice_in_a_Retributive_Society.pdf
ENDS
Scoop copy of speech: Doing_Restorative_Justice_in_a_Retributive_Society.pdf
Gordon Campbell: On What’s Wrong With The Treaty Principles Bill
Mana Mokopuna: Children And Young People Share Vital Insights On Healing From Family Violence And Sexual Violence In New Report
NZ Government: PM Marks One Year In Government
Helen Clark Foundation: Helen Clark Foundation Calls For Political Action To Reduce The Prevalence Of Junk Food And Improve Health Outcomes
Justice Committee: Further Decisions About Submissions Process For The Principles Of The Treaty Of Waitangi Bill
Infrastructure New Zealand: Single Agency Needed To Coordinate Climate Adaptation And Recovery
Free Speech Union: Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill Likely To Restrict Access To Information, Polling Shows Most Oppose
