Corrections supervisor in work-for-favours investigation

A senior Department of Corrections official is under investigation for allegedly offering to reduce an offender's sentence in return for free car repairs.

The Herald on Sunday can reveal that a senior community work supervisor in Manakau is facing an internal investigation for "allegations of mismanaging a sentence of community work".

The investigation relates to an accusation that the supervisor offered to reduce an offender's sentence in exchange for services on a car, according to an Official Information Act response from the Corrections Department.

South Auckland manager Grace Smit confirmed the investigation had been launched but was on hold while the staff member, who is on unpaid leave, attended to a family matter overseas.

National's spokesman for justice, Dr Richard Worth, labelled the allegations "very damaging". "The Probation Service does an incredible job in difficult circumstances. Their work is generally at the highest of standards and to hear of this is hugely disappointing."

Act leader Rodney Hide said the staff member "belongs in the Taito Phillip Field camp".

"There is a worrying pattern of people in power using their position to gain advancement, they are taking the lead from our ministers."

The department has said the matter will be referred for police investigation only if the allegations are proven. It would not name the official.

But Mr Hide said police should be involved from the outset, as an internal investigation was unlikely to be impartial.

Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor said "no Government department would tolerate this kind of behaviour". He would await the outcome of the investigation before commenting further.

Auckland University's associate professor of law, Dr Bill Hodge, is regularly commissioned to investigate staff misconduct for Government departments.

He said it had been a difficult time for various aspects of justice, but "corruption is not widespread at all, it is as low as you will find in any similar overseas institutions".

Corrections manages 29,000 new sentences of community work a year, and is currently handling 45,000 cases.

Since April 2004, nine allegations of inappropriate behaviour have been investigated against staff in the Auckland probation service.