Hon Anne Tolley

Minister of Police

Minister of Corrections

24 May 2012

Setting targets for safer communities, less crime

Budget 2012 supports better public services by contributing to targets that will reduce prisoner reoffending by 25 per cent by 2017 and result in 18,500 fewer victims of crime every year, Police and Corrections Minister Anne Tolley says.

Reprioritising Corrections funding and maintaining funding for Police supports the Government’s focus on preventing and reducing crime, and making communities safer.

“Both Police and Corrections are working smarter and better, which is leading to far fewer victims of crime,” Mrs Tolley says. “By working more efficiently they are also providing a better service to taxpayers and reducing the pressure on the wider justice sector.”

The Government is maintaining its annual operating spending on Police at $1.49 billion, with an increased emphasis on frontline policing.

“Recorded crime is at a 15-year low and the crime rate per 100,000 of population is at a 30-year low, but much more needs to be done,” Mrs Tolley says.

“Neighbourhood Policing Teams and mobile technology are allowing officers to spend more time on the frontline in communities, preventing crime and resulting in fewer victims of crime.

“As the Prevention First and Policing Excellence programmes continue to be rolled out, Police are on course to reach their existing target of a 13 per cent reduction in crime by 2014/15.”

Budget 2012 confirms another of the specific and measurable targets within the 10 Better Public Service results areas announced by the Prime Minister earlier this year: reducing prisoner reoffending by 25 per cent by 2017.

“Reaching this target would mean 18,500 fewer victims of crime every year,” Mrs Tolley says.

“An announcement will be made soon on other targets for reducing total crime, including violent crime and youth crime, by 2017.”

The Corrections Department will reprioritise $65 million in operating spending over four years to target the 25 per cent reduction in reoffending. This will be done through new and expanded rehabilitation and reintegration programmes.

This will contribute to:

• 33,100 additional offenders receiving new and expanded drug and alcohol treatment in prisons and in the community.
• 7,855 additional prisoners and community offenders receiving new and expanded rehabilitation services.
• 2,950 additional prisoners in education and employment training.

“Our programmes will also mean that from 2017, there will be 600 fewer prisoners than in 2011 and 4,000 fewer community offenders,” Mrs Tolley says.

The Corrections Department has completed an extensive expenditure review and has identified ways to deliver better and more-focused frontline services.

“This has resulted in $87 million in overall operating savings being transferred to the Justice Sector Fund to reinvest in other important areas across the justice sector.

“Budget 2012 backs the Police and Corrections to continue their excellent work, and to ensure that New Zealanders feel safe in their communities,” Mrs Tolley says.

ENDS

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