Hard labour on Act jail agenda

Act wants to make prisons so unpleasant "that no one would want to go back", says leader Rodney Hide

Releasing the party's prison policy yesterday, Mr Hide said Act would also: reject the United Nations rule that prohibited hard labour; remove voting rights from prisoners; give prison staff authority to reward and punish prisoners; beef up the Police Complaints Authority so it could investigate prisoner abuse complaints; and abolish financial awards to prisoners for alleged human rights breaches.

Judges would be able to choose punishments that fitted the crime and private sector prison managers would be reinstated, especially for new youth prisons.

- NZPA