Inmates stuck in middle of debate

Concerns have been raised about Parole Board calls for prisoners to take part in reintegration activities being repeatedly disregarded by Corrections.

The concerns were triggered after a parole hearing in March where it was discovered a Corrections panel had declined Manawatu Prison inmate Brian Taylor any temporary releases or reintegration, despite the Parole Board recommending them prior to his release.

Reintegration activities include residing in a self care unit or other facility outside the secure prison perimeter, or taking part in a release to work programme.

Prisoners are required to have achieved a minimum or low security classification to qualify for them.

Though the Board suggested all options for Taylor that could lead to his reintegration be considered, it said the final decision would ultimately be made by the Corrections panel.

Taylor has served 14 years of a 16 year sentence for an assortment of violent offending, including firearm charges.

The Board said it was concerned he would get to his release date in two years with no reintegration work done.

At the March hearing, the Board said Taylor was in the same position then as he was in August, 2015.

Taylor’s partner Joanne Oliver, told the Manawatu Standard that Taylor, who was the self-appointed leader of the Black Power in 2003, had changed while in prison.

‘‘He knows he did a lot of silly things.

‘‘He’s 46 next month, he went to prison when he was 32, he’s definitely a changed man.’’

Oliver said Taylor was down about the situation he was in.

‘‘He’s seen the worst kind of prisoners come and go and for some reason, he’s just not getting a chance.

University of Canterbury sociologist Dr Jarrod Gilbert said Taylor’s situation was not an isolated issue.

He said these problems often occurred because there was an unfortunate disconnect between the Parole Board and Corrections.

‘‘The Parole Board will expect certain progress to be undertaken and the Department of Corrections either won’t or can’t provide that.’’

He said it was hard for the prisoner, as one hand was telling them to do one thing and the other hand was telling them they couldn’t.

‘‘The interaction between [the] Parole Board and Corrections needs to be better.’’

Gilbert said the Parole Board would often make recommendations for something to occur in order for a prisoner to be eligible for release, only for Corrections to disagree.

‘‘You wait a year before the person goes up before the Parole Board, and they say ‘why haven’t you done what we asked’ and don’t release them.’’

Manawatu Prison acting director Mark Cookson said Taylor had been denied participation in reintegration activities because his security classification meant he was not eligible.

He said Taylor had been reclassified from high security to low-medium in August, 2014.

‘‘Since that time, he has pleaded or been found guilty of a number of internal misconduct charges.’’

Cookson said these included possession of nicotine replacement patches without approval, covering the smoke alarm in his cell, possession of an improvised weapon and tobacco, and threatening staff. ‘‘Earlier this year he was charged by police and convicted under the Corrections Act for possession of a cellphone.’’

Cookson said they were committed to assisting Taylor and would continue to encourage him to modify his behaviour.

‘‘However, ultimately he is responsible for his compliance with prison rules.’’

Human rights lawyer Tony Ellis said this scenario was not unusual.

‘‘I think it’s a big issue, actually. What the Parole Board wants, Corrections doesn’t necessarily do.’’

Ellis spoke of a prisoner who was released in 2004 and had no idea how to use an ATM.

He said not rehabilitating people could decrease their chance of staying out of prison, which he found odd as one of Corrections priorities was to reduce the number of people re-offending. ‘‘If you spend a little on rehabilitating people, hopefully they don’t come back.’’

Corrections said an advisory panel, which included case managers, psychologists, probation and intelligence staff, worked together to manage prisoners.