Corrections

The Government aimed to reduce the prison population by 30 per cent over 15 years, improve outcomes for Māori, improve rehabilitation, and reintegration and ensure Corrections has facilities.

In Opposition, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis was a strong advocate for an overhaul of the lock-them-up approach, instead focusing on reducing reoffending. The Coalition Government has aimed to bring a more humane/wellbeing approach to the Corrections system and targeted blockages in the justice system – trying to reduce the likelihood of future offending by giving extra support to defendants on bail.

It has also strengthened legislation to improve prison security and ensure the fair, safe, and humane treatment of people in prison. It has also set aside more money for housing and support as well as mental health services

Prison Muster

Demographics are locked in decades in advance, so the Government's ambitious goal of significantly reducing the prison population will take years to bear fruit.

The prison muster fluctuates daily due to arrests, court decisions and releases but has been sitting around 10,000 over the past few months.

Improve Māori outcomes

A key priority for the Government was tackling the over-representation of Māori in prisons and it has made good progress on starting this, committing money and resources.

That included a $98m investment from the "Wellbeing Budget". It announced a whānau-centred pathway to tackle Māori reoffending rates. It has introduced the Hōkai Rangi strategy that will treat the person and not just the crime. The move will see prisoners remain in Māori units all through their sentence, instead of the current 13 weeks. Topia Rameka was also appointed as a dedicated Māori deputy chief executive.

Facilities

The Government wanted to work towards decommissioning double-bunking, a practice to deal with overcrowding but one that was widely criticised by human rights groups. However, due to a legal loophole, double-bunking will continue for some time yet.

Although it chose not to build a mega-prison at Waikeria, as planned by the previous government, it is building a 500-bed facility alongside a 100-bed mental health unit there.