KEY POINTS:
The second inmate escape from a prison working party in three weeks has Corrections Minister Judith Collins demanding answers from her department.
Police have urged the public not to approach Storm Hughes, 33, who fled from a work party outside the Springhill Prison in north Waikato yesterday.
Hughes had a "significant history" of violence in Australia, police said.
His escape came three weeks after Arai Hema fled from an outside work party at Auckland Prison at Paremoremo on January 21. Hema remains at large.
Mrs Collins said in Parliament yesterday the escapes were unacceptable.
"Not one escape is acceptable and that is why this minister is going to hold people to account for their actions and inactions," she said.
"I am confident that the department understands that my expectations are significantly higher than those of the previous minister."
Police hunting for Hughes have warned residents of Huntly, Mercer, Te Kauwhata, Pukekohe, Pokeno and nearby areas to lock their cars, homes and outside buildings.
They also warned farmers to call them immediately if they noticed any intruders on their farms. Signs he was around could include spooked stock or barking dogs.
Escaped prisoners often hid during the day and tried to break into buildings or vehicles at night, police said.
Hughes is a Caucasian, of medium build, 171cm tall with short blond hair and tattoos on his arms and back.
He was last seen dressed in a blue denim jacket, grey shirt and grey trousers.
Hughes has lived in Tokoroa and has links to the Turangi and Taumarunui areas.
Prison officers said having a second dangerous inmate flee from an outside work party showed how badly the system was working.
Beven Hanlon, of the prison officers' union, the Corrections Association, said alarm bells should be ringing on the assessment programme for prisoners assigned to work outside.
"Clearly it is weighted too far in favour of the prisoner."
Dangerous prisoners were also put in low-security self-care units when they were not suitable, he said.
Inmates were put in these units because it was cheaper and easier and "heaps" of prisoners in those units should not be given that low-security classification.
Something was very wrong if a prisoner escaped and police had to warn the public he was extremely dangerous and should not be approached, Mr Hanlon said.
He said a work party often had only one prison officer to supervise 10 inmates.
"They (the prisoners) have all got tools."
- NZPA
