Public Service Association members will actively cooperate with the Chief Ombudsman’s investigation into the Department
of Corrections.
The union says its members closely follow Corrections policy regarding the safe and secure containment of prisoners, and
if the investigation identifies areas where policies must change the union will support this.
"Despite reductions in prisoner numbers in recent years, New Zealand still has a high rate of incarceration relative to
our population and compared to other developed countries. Some prisons are overcrowded, and it becomes more difficult to
safely manage this when some prisons are recurrently understaffed," says PSA National Secretary Erin Polaczuk.
"The corrections system cannot be understood in isolation. New Zealand’s mental health and addiction services are also
stretched dangerously thin. We need sufficient resources and a comprehensive strategy to minimise pressure throughout
the whole system."
Safe staffing levels have been agreed to in custodial settings and ratios set between prisoners and staff, but the
Corrections system does not always succeed in maintaining these.
Periodic staff shortages are a key factor behind the use of 23-hour lockdowns in some facilities and contribute to
difficulties in arranging rehabilitation and education programmes for offenders.
The PSA welcomes the decrease in prisoner numbers but notes this reduction has led to increased stress and higher
workloads in probation and electronic monitoring.
"We view this investigation as an opportunity to improve the corrections system both for staff and prisoners. The PSA is
working with the Department to support its Hōkai Rangi strategy, and we are jointly developing an action plan to prevent
assaults on prison staff," says Ms Polaczuk.
"Corrections personnel do extremely important work and are deeply committed to their roles. If the system can be
improved, our members will welcome that. Prisons should be as safe as possible for everyone within their walls."