Men and women to be proud of

addiction services, which aims to enhance people’s wellbeing and contribute to reducing assaults.

The Sensible Sentencing Trust says harsher penalties for prisoners who assault staff is the answer, and that inmates who assault staff should get an automatic extra six months added to their sentence.

Setting aside the fact that sentences given to prisoners are determined by the courts, not Corrections, I have always been clear that assaults are never acceptable. I expect anyone who resorts to violence to be held to account for their actions, including facing possible criminal charges.

The reality, though, is that tackling this issue is more complex than just putting more years on a person’s sentence. It’s about mental health services, rehabilitation, drug and alcohol programmes, and helping prisoners into meaningful employment. Fixing these issues inside and outside the wire is a longterm challenge.

In the meantime, I meet regularly with representatives from PSA and CANZ, and I know Corrections are working with the unions to look at even more actions we can collectively take to keep our frontline staff safe.

When I’m speaking at Corrections officer graduations, I often tell the graduates that their uniform should be a source of pride for them, and serve as a reminder of their potential to change lives for the better. Corrections officers should also be a source of pride for us, as New Zealanders. I am grateful for the work they do to keep us safe. I will keep working to keep them safe too.