Crowded prisons force review

The Government is considering sending fewer low-level offenders to jail as it seeks ways to stem the growing prison population.

Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor yesterday confirmed the option, which would involve greater community sentencing, was among a number being considered.

There were no plans to change the sentencing and bail laws recently reformed by his Government and at least partly responsible for the increase in numbers.

But the issue of whether the laws had seen more people being locked up than intended would be discussed and it was possible recommendations for change might be made, he said.

Mr O'Connor leaves on a two-week fact-finding trip to Britain, Finland and the Netherlands today to examine new models of offender management as he wants to see first-hand new practices which could be adapted to the New Zealand environment.

He said "the only system harsher than us is the United States. We have to ask the question why?

"The numbers of inmates has been growing to the point where even with the huge investment by our Government, almost $1 billion, it's still difficult to stay ahead of the situation."

Mr O'Connor is taking Sensible Sentencing Trust chairman Garth McVicar and Prison Fellowship director Kim Workman, a former Corrections assistant secretary, with him.

He said the Government was examining "if there are people with shorter sentences on minor offences who have been ending up in jail, whether we can divert them and ensure they pay their penalty without going through the prison system".

He would look at drug and alcohol and mental health programmes in particular.

There were concerns about the quality of some rehabilitation programmes now being operated, he said.

Mr Workman said the fellowship hoped a political consensus of the type reached in Finland could be achieved here.

National corrections spokesman Simon Power said it was inappropriate for Mr O'Connor to be floating such proposals when he could not get his department's house in order.

The Government could not talk about its tough new law and order legislation during the election and later change the laws.

- Additional reporting NZPA