Specialist prisoner release teams will improve safety

The establishment of specialist prison release teams will help prisoners reintegrate into society and improve the safety of the parole process, Corrections Minister Judith Collins says.

Ms Collins today launched prisoner release teams at a ceremony at the Community Probation and Psychological Services' (CPPS) service centre in Manurewa, Auckland.

"CPPS plays an important role in helping prisoners reintegrate into society. The establishment of prisoner release teams will make the process more robust and improve the safety of the public," Ms Collins says.

Prisoner release teams are a new initiative set up in April this year.

They help address concerns raised by the Auditor General in his February report into the management of parole that CPPS staff were not following processes when managing the release of high-risk prisoners.

"In the past, CPPS staff members have had to manage a range of sentences, such as home detention and community work which didn't allow them to specialise," Ms Collins says.

"Prisoner release teams will give dedicated staff that role, allowing them to gain a depth of experience in safely managing prisoners on parole."

The teams will be a one stop shop for management of parolees, other offenders released from prison, and also high-risk child sex offenders on Extended Supervision orders.

The teams will also be responsible for providing information for reports prepared by the New Zealand Parole Board on prisoner release proposals and on offenders' progress during a parole order.

Ms Collins says every CPPS service centre in New Zealand now has specialist probation officers managing offenders released from prison.

In larger offices these staff are organised into dedicated prison release teams.