4. Dr CAM CALDER (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Corrections
Has she received any reports on the rate of escape from New Zealand prisons?
Hon JUDITH COLLINS (Minister of Corrections) Link to this
I am pleased to advise the House that the number of escapes from New Zealand prisons has fallen to an all-time low. In the last financial year there were four escapes from corrections custody, but only two from jails. This compares with nine escapes in the previous financial year and 23 in 2007-08. This great result is due to more sophisticated perimeter fencing, new detection and surveillance systems, improved intelligence, and single points of entry into our prisons. The Department of Corrections is firmly focused on public safety and it is doing a great job.
Hon JUDITH COLLINS Link to this
I am pleased to report that for the first time there have been no walk-away escapes at all. Instances in which low-security prisoners walk away from work parties or other areas of supervision have been the most common method of escape from New Zealand prisons. This is a fantastic achievement, and is testament to the new security classification system implemented by the Department of Corrections in 2010. The new system focuses much more heavily on escape prevention, and tightens the criteria that a prisoner must meet to be considered for employment in a work party outside the perimeter. This is more excellent work from the Department of Corrections.