Returning offenders from Australia - Joint Police and Corrections statement

Joint statement from New Zealand Police and the Department of Corrections

18th November

Expected arrival of returning offenders from Australia tomorrow.

Police and Corrections are working with other agencies to manage the expected arrival of a number of returning offenders from Australia tomorrow.

“The priority for Police is to ensure community safety and assist agencies responsible for facilitating their reintegration into the community.” says Police Assistant Commissioner Malcolm Burgess.

Around 12 individuals are due to arrive at Auckland International Airport on a charter flight tomorrow.

A further group will arrive next week.

On arrival the offenders will be met by New Zealand Police and Corrections staff.

Under the new Returned Offenders (Management and Information) Act, Police will serve eligible individuals with a determination notice which informs them that they are subject to supervision, along with their obligations.

They will be required to provide Police with identifying particulars including name, date of birth, address and fingerprints.

DNA will be sought by Police, and where DNA is not taken at the airport a compulsion notice will be issued requiring a DNA sample on a later date.

Under the new legislation, offenders returning to New Zealand from overseas will have the same obligation to provide DNA as those who have committed similar offences in New Zealand.

Police will interview them individually to determine information for Offender Management Plans, the implementation of prevention tactics, and to assist with reintegration.

Police will also co-ordinate with staff from the Corrections, PARS, the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Health to address specific needs or risks that are identified.

Corrections is responsible for the management of the supervision regime once each individual has been processed at the airport. Corrections’ role is to ensure that sentences and orders are managed appropriately and offenders are supported to reintegrate into the community.

Corrections will undertake an initial induction on arrival at the airport and will instruct offenders to report to Probation, arrange accommodation if needed (along with partner agencies PARS and Goodwood Park) and make sure the offenders are safely transported to their accommodation.

Corrections will continue to monitor these offenders and respond to the risks identified.

Under the recently signed information agreement with the Australian Government, Police and Corrections have received information from Australian authorities about each returning offender.

“Relevant agencies are working closely together to ensure the smooth arrival of this group, with our focus being to ensure community safety and their reintegrative needs.” says Corrections Northern Regional Commissioner Jeanette Burns.

“While there has been some focus on the group arriving this week, it is important that this is viewed in the context of up to around 12,000 releases from the New Zealand prison system every year.

“The newly passed legislation means returning offenders can now be subject to the same sort of oversight as offenders who had served a similar prison sentence in New Zealand.” said Jeanette Burns.

Police is continuing to liaise with Australian authorities about further arrivals of returning offenders in the coming days and weeks.

The new legislation will apply to all returning offenders regardless of where they have come from.

ENDS

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