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Bill English on Q+A. - Source: Q+A -
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Finance minister Bill English says there will be no more prisons built under his watch as finance minister.
He's called prisons a moral and fiscal failure and there are other ways of dealing with criminals and potential criminals.
Asked by Guyon Espiner on Q A this morning if the government was going to continue building prisons once the 1000-bed facility in the Auckland suburb of Wiri was completed, English said Wiri was likely to be the last.
"They're very, very expensive," English said. "$250,000 a bed, $90,000 a year to run ... when we're tight for money."
He said the aim instead is to reduce recidivism, and prevent young people from entering the system at all.
"The public service has done a lot of very smart work on this and, over the next two or three years, we're going to see the need for prison beds drop a bit at least."
But a spokesperson for victims says English is wrong. Sensible Sentencing spokesperson Garth McVicar says it's not the right tactic.
"Just as they were starting to bear fruit through the 'tough on crime' message that they were sending out, he capitulates and waves a white flag," McVicar told ONE News.
"It just sends the wrong message to criminals. I know people think criminals are dumb but they're quite smart and they'll understand if we're not going to build more prisons out there, then ultimately we're not going to send them to prison."
One advocate for penal reform agrees with English and is certain having more prisons will just breed more criminals.
"We could put more prisoners into trades; we could put more prisoners into work on farms," Peter Williams QC told ONE News.
"We've got to put more emphasis on rehabilitation, drug programmes, anti-alcohol programmes without just locking these people up in small containers."
English said the government is committed to building Wiri's prison so that won't change.
"That's well through the process, and we need the extra 1000 beds because it's been part of this government's policy and public pressure for tougher sentences and a safer community," he said.
The Labour Government built four prisons but National has been saving money by housing some prisoners in purpose-adapted containers.
What do you think? Do we need more prisons? Have your say on the messageboard below.
Add a Comment:
Post new commenthifromnz said on 2011-05-30 @ 15:42 NZDT: Report abusive post
And quite a few are in prison because there is nowhere suitable for them to serve a community based sentence. One example, a 17 year old who does not have any drug problem but is of marginal intelligence, whose family can not have him safely at home. There is not one place he can go. We need alternative establishments - drug and crime free. Some with rehab facilities, some with a degree of supervision and support for people like him. Far less expensive than prison.
hifromnz said on 2011-05-30 @ 15:35 NZDT: Report abusive post
Community based options are not a "light option". Some people sentenced to home detention ask to go to prison because HD is just too hard. Some others ask to go to prison because they are part of an inmate power structure there as gang members, or they have a "job" to do there - and young inmates are recruited or abused. Sentences outside prison are not only cheaper but also stop the perpetuation of crime. Not often I agree with Bill.
caring citizen said on 2011-05-24 @ 13:22 NZDT: Report abusive post
Prisoners are a moral and fiscal failure so why keep building them. Why don't we look at some overseas examples where governments have made a definite aim to reduce numbers in prison. Crime has not increased as a result. Rehabilitation of most prisoners is possible . There are some great organisatuions such as Prisoners Aid doing an amazing job supporting prisoners pre and post release with very limited resources.
Paul E said on 2011-05-24 @ 10:56 NZDT: Report abusive post
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KiwiAardvark said on 2011-05-24 @ 05:54 NZDT: Report abusive post
At last, a politician with the guts to talk sense rather than pander to emotion. New Zealand used to be proud of making a better, more caring, society. Let's return to that ideal. Even Rob Muldoon wanted to keep people out of prison. For all his faults he'd fought in the war and knew what poor and disadvantaged people were like.