KEY POINTS:
Corrections has been told by the Government that it expects criminals to abide by court sentences and Parole Board orders.
In the Budget an objective has been added to the Corrections vote, "Sentences and orders are complied with". It sets out that Corrections must ensure prisoners are confined and serve the specific sentence set by the sentencing judge.
"Sentenced offenders are not entitled to enjoy the freedom to determine whether, or to what extent, they will submit to the constraints and requirements of a sentence or order.
"Attempts to breach the requirements of the sentence or order must be dealt with effectively, appropriately and in a timely manner."
A spokesman for Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor said the objectives had been drafted several months ago to expand the departmental mission statement and improve Corrections focus.
Corrections was strongly criticised in January after convicted murderer Graeme Burton breached his parole conditions and went on a crime spree which ended with the murder of Wainuiomata man Karl Kuchenbecker.
The spokesman said the Budget statements would have been drafted last year and their timing in relation to the Burton case was an unfortunate coincidence.
The Government promised a raft of changes in the justice and corrections sectors last year and funding for several of those was confirmed last week.
That included $1.3 million to ensure youth offenders complied with bail conditions and $1.4 million for a serious youth offenders' programme. Funds allocated last year will pay for two new prison-based alcohol and drug units and more than 200 extra community probation officers.
New Zealand First law and order spokesman Ron Mark said his party was prepared to give the new youth justice initiatives a try, but often youth offenders were given bail too easily.
"We believe it's fine to give people one chance and maybe two chances, but the youth justice system is littered with youths getting 43 and 80 chances and leaving bodies in their wake."
National's justice spokesman, Simon Power, said the Budget put the cost of upgrading and expanding prisons at $1.2 billion through to 2014.
With prisoner numbers tipped to expand, Mr Power said the Government should say if it intended to build a new prison.
"Although the Criminal Law Reform Bill is designed to reduce the prison population, that's what is in the preamble to the bill, the Government is planning a massive, massive injection of capital and operational costs into Corrections, which can only point to the ... building [of] new prisons."
Mr O'Connor's spokesman said no new prison was planned and the money was for contingencies.
Meanwhile, the Police Complaints Authority is expected to use a $599,000 annual funding boost to clear its backlog of 800 or so cases.
