Inmates ‘consistently’ let off charges

WELLINGTON: Almost half of prisoners are being let off internal disciplinary charges while violence against officers is on the rise.

The union representing prison officers said there had been an increasingly soft approach to managing inmates in the past few years.

The Corrections Department said it was now investigating why charges against unruly prisoners were not sticking.

A misconduct charge could be for something like fighting, having contraband or deliberately damaging prison property.

In the past year, 201920, more than 21,000 charges were laid against prisoners, but 8617 or 40% were cancelled.

A charge can be dropped if it is not filed within seven days of a staff member learning of the incident or if an adjudicator cannot hear it within 14 days.

Corrections Association president Alan Whitley said time and staff limits were undermining efforts at discipline.

‘‘The internal disciplinary system is in dire straits and it needs some action.

‘‘It’s an example of an erosion of trust of the staff and the systems there to look after them.

‘‘If they are consistently seeing charges dismissed because they are out of time, it says to them, noone really cares that they’ve actually raised the matter and that they’re trying to hold prisoners to account.’’

Mr Whitley said corrections officers were not resourced properly and prisoners recognised they could get away with bad behaviour.

‘‘Since about 2017, we’ve had a softer and softer and softer approach to prisoners.

‘‘And since 2017, the incidences of violence against staff have increased.

‘‘The prisoners basically know that they’ve got a good chance of getting away with what they do and they’ll just continue to push the boundaries.’’

in the 201920 year, I89 officers were assaulted — up from 654 the previous year.

Corrections chief custodial officer Neil Beales said there were many reasons charges could be dropped but admitted the system was not working.

‘‘‘The adjudication and prosecution system has been around for a very, very long time but clearly it’s now due for us to take a good long look at it to see whether it’s still fit for purpose.’’

A new principal adviser had been appointed to oversee a violence and aggression action plan and had scheduled more training for officers in September.

Mr Beales said the problem was not just about staffing.

‘‘It’s a multitude of things, which we have to get on top of as a department and we need to make sure that we’ve got a good line of sight on what’s happening with our adjudications and prosecutions on any given day.’’

The new adviser would check if there were enough adjudicators at each prison as well as review Corrections law and individual prison policies.

‘‘Part of running a safe and secure prison is by having a disciplinary system that is lawful, is fair, is transparent, and it works.

‘‘All of the normal things that you or any other citizen would expect to see.’’

Mr Beales said the department also wanted to investigate if the type of punishments were appropriate.

An adjudicator can give anything from a warning to cell confinement, loss of privileges or up to $500 in reparations.

In serious cases, charges are referred to police.

JustSpeak director Tania Sawicki Mead said the current punishment system did not keep inmates or staff safe.

‘‘Nothing in the way that the system is being run actually gets good outcomes for people there.

‘‘It is not a place built around policies that enhance safety or wellbeing, whether it’s for people working there or people being held there.’’

Corrections said while a review of the misconduct system was under way, there was no set date to bring in any changes. — RNZ