Hon Phil Goff
Minister of Corrections

31 October 2007
Media statement

Goff welcomes Corrections challenges

Corrections is a tough portfolio and has been problematic for successive governments over time, Corrections Minister Phil Goff said today.

“Inherent in that is that the Corrections Department has to deal with people who have offended against society and pose the greatest problems and potentially the greatest threats to it.

“For most of us, once offenders are processed through the justice system they are out of sight and out of mind.

“But for the management and staff of the corrections system they have to deal with the multiple problems posed by offenders on a daily basis.

“For the most part, they do a difficult job really well and we owe them a debt of gratitude.

“From time to time, however, they will get it wrong and will be held accountable for that.

“For a tiny minority of the staff who behave corruptly or criminally, I expect zero tolerance from the system.

“As Justice Minister I promoted tough sentencing and parole legislation, which imposed much longer sentences on the worst offenders, and for parole required the safety of the community to be the paramount consideration.

“Those decisions were and are appropriate to protect society and to do justice for victims. Regrettably, for many there is no alternative to imprisonment.

“However, New Zealand has one of the highest rates of imprisonment in the Western World and we should not celebrate that.

“Where there are safe alternative options to imprisonment through which prisoners can repay their debt to society we should use them.

“Better still, where we can work proactively to prevent offending or re-offending such as through early intervention, promoting work habits, and through addiction treatment, that should be given priority.

“There are no quick or easy solutions to the problem of offending, nor changes that will guarantee the corrections system will get it right on every occasion.

“However, as a government, parliament and society we need to strive to get the system working as effectively as possible.

“I look forward to working with Corrections staff and with anyone prepared to offer constructive solutions to meeting the challenges within the corrections portfolio and the wider social problems which contribute to them,” Mr Goff said.

ENDS

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