KEY POINTS:
The Government is to tighten the parole system, making it easier to instantly recall offenders, after the Graeme Burton case.
And the Corrections Department is planning a "flying squad" of investigators to catch staff smuggling contraband into prisons.
Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor is looking at ways of ensuring more staff are prosecuted if they are found to have smuggled goods to prisoners to send a message the behaviour won't be tolerated.
The Government is starting the new parliamentary year facing criticisms of mismanagement in the criminal justice system.
They include allegations of corruption in the prison service, public anxiety about the death of Liam Ashley in a prison van and the shooting spree involving Burton, a parolee, which resulted in the death of father of two Karl Kuchenbecker.
Prime Minister Helen Clark is expected to speak of the Government's plans to refine the parole recall system in her statement to Parliament on Tuesday.
And Mr O'Connor told the Weekend Herald reviews of the Burton incident would result in changes.
The Burton incident sparked outrage when it was revealed that police asked for Burton's parole to be revoked five weeks before he went on his shooting spree.
But Corrections said the Probation Service had been unable to act because police had refused to supply the sworn affidavit required.
The police said sources had reported concerns, but they did not have the evidence legally required to provide the affidavit.
The Justice Ministry, which administers the Parole Act, is reviewing the evidential requirements and Justice Minister Mark Burton has previously said that if there was an anomaly in the standard of evidence required to revoke parole, he would be open to advice on how to fix it.
The Weekend Herald understands changes to the rules covering the evidential requirements for the Probation Service and the Parole Board are likely.
This could enable an immediate temporary recall of parolees on lesser standards of evidence - the current requirement is proof a crime has been committed - until a hearing determined the case.
Mr O'Connor said the Parole Board could recall immediately but "the terms and conditions might have to be looked at".
It is understood serious thought is being given to enabling the police to make a direct case to the Parole Board if they want a parole revoked.
