He said there was always work, a lot of it was crappy like mopping floors etc.

He ended up helping to build prison fences etc. then in the plant nursery.

According to the Department’s strategy document:

The Prisoner Employment Strategy 2006-2009 set a target of increasing prisoner employment from 40 per cent to 60 per cent of prisoners. The Department has achieved a good portion of this growth, increasing employment participation to approximately 55 per cent of prisoners in 2009…

The bulk of this growth occurred in CIE-managed prison industries, which included the introduction of a number of new industries and partnerships with private companies…

Release to Work has been the most significant success of the Prisoner Employment Strategy. The number of prisoners engaged each week in this activity increased from 27 in June 2006 to 163 in March 2009. These prisoners are employed in regular jobs in the community and gain real work experience and the chance to keep their jobs when they are released.

Presumably the trend has continued slowly moving in the right direction. As dime says, if you are offered work and turn it down, there are consequences. In any event, for many prisoners the small stipend they receive for working is their only in-prison income, to spend on “luxuries” such as biscuits or cordial at the canteen. So it’s “voluntary” in the sense that if you don’t want any canteen spends and don’t mind being shipped to some pretty unplesasant places, you can refuse.

Which is not to be read as implying I don’t think prisoners should work; I do, provided they’re learning skills and they certainly seem to be in New Zealand, though not so in Australia. The only bit I found disappointing in the strategy was this:

In a number of other jurisdictions, prisoners provide educational or support roles in prison. This approach can take a number of forms. Prisoners with qualifications or particular work experience can assist other prisoners with tutoring or other forms of support to help them gain qualifications of their own.

The Department will be exploring whether there is any scope to introduce these activities…

Of course there’s scope! Assess every prisoner on the way in. Those with a qualification – whether it be in literacy or carpentry – are assigned to teach those without. It’s not rocket science, and it’s not hard to implement – a decent Project Manager could have it happening in a week.

scrubone:

In maximum security facilities, yes it is.

But unless things have changed since I visited, work is voluntary at all prisons, and there is a waiting list for places. I know that at the time I departed Parliament they were trying to increase work opportunities…be grateful for any “inside” information you have…accurate information preferably…

End of the day prison is, or should be for punishment. Long and hard. Fuck this namby pampy stuff, nicotene patchs, bbqs and concerts. Prison needs to be a place feared, once visited you never want to go back.

hell, in order to have a visit, some dude looks in your ass! twice! sounds pretty horrible to me

I think you’ll find that treatment isn’t standard.

hell, in order to have a visit, some dude looks in your ass! twice! sounds pretty horrible to me

“…..Dr Lukkien said some prisons held barbecues and concerts to involve prisoners in “celebrating” going smokefree, rather than seeing it as a hardship….Excellent. They’ll save money and be healthier….”

So when do law abiding NZers who give up smoking get a BBQ and free concerts on the taxpayer David?

We’ll be healthier and save money too…..or do you only care David if a prison saves money?

If you no longer believe in equality for ALL people David, then just say so…….don’t worry about what the gays will have to say about you….go on David, come out of the closet and admit you don’t believe in equality anymore!

Kowtow, don’t be a fuckwit. It’s a health issue, not a control issue.

Would not, might not, perhaps, maybe, ooooh I might consider that, not sure, definately maybe….
What a pointless “evaluation”, it means absolutely nothing. Wonder how much the consultants got paid for that.

Absolute joke. Concerts and barbecues in prison. What next heated flooring and flatscreen tv’s ? Oh wait.

Incarceration in NZ is a sick joke, nothing more than time out in a luxury facility with every do-gooder at your beck and call.

But no,in our oh so PC world prisons are just another place where the “progressive” social control freaks can exercise their power over others.

And just the other day a prison guard was convicted of smuggling tobacco into prison. Effective? Bwahaha……