The sad state of Corrections

Nicola Boyes in the SST deals with the very sad litany of Corrections failure and corruption.

* A SST investigation found Rotorua Corrections officers are allowing inmates’ families and friends in the court’s back door, bringing in food, drugs, money and other contraband.

* Police had begged the probation service – run by Corrections – to recall Graeme Burton to jail five weeks before he allegedly went on a shooting rampage.

* Claims by a Dutch couple recruited to work at Rimutaka Prison that officers were being bribed by gangs and prisoners had unlimited access to drugs.

* Claims that a smorgasbord of drugs is available to Mt Eden prison inmates, sold under guards’ noses.

* Reform programmes being run in the prisons leading to higher rates of recidivism.

* Claims from the Prison Officers Association that prison managers turn a blind eye to violent assaults in prisons in order to claim bonuses.

Of all the bad decisions made by this Labour Government, the one which I think was most harmful for society, and the most deplorable was taking Auckland Remand Prison from private management, despite first class reviews, and turning it over to the Corrections Department.