Extra prison beds worsen staff shortage, says union

Extra prison beds may help ease overcrowding but they will also make a staff shortage even worse, the Public Service Association says.

Acting Corrections Minister Phil Goff announced a total of 240 beds would be added in Wanganui, Rimutaka and Christchurch prisons.

But PSA national organiser Alan Ware said extra beds were of limited use if not backed up with extra staff.

He said the Department of Corrections needed an additional 300 prison officers and predicted this figure would grow to 1500 as new prisons were opened over the next four years.

"These extra beds will relieve the pressure on police cells and we welcome them for that reason. But the staffing problem remains unresolved and must be addressed," Mr Ware said.

He said better salaries needed to be offered to deal with the shortage.

"Potential prison officers can be paid the same or better wages working elsewhere, without the stress and long working hours," he said.

"Until salaries are addressed, staffing the nation's bulging prisons will continue to be a headache."

The extra beds are on top of 213 more by the end of 2006, announced last month.

"Those beds have helped address the immediate issue of accommodating a record prison muster," Mr Goff said.

Mr Goff's did not agree with the Howard League for Penal Reform in Canterbury, whose secretary Kathy Dunstall said more use of community sentences would be more effective.

- NZPA