Woeful private prison performance calls for rethink

National's plans to privatise up to a quarter of New Zealand's prison capacity obviously need a rethink, says Labour's Justice Sector Spokesperson Charles Chauvel.

"Figures out today reveal worrying trends in Serco's management of the Mt Eden Corrections Facility over the last eight months

“Of particular concern are failures to meet drug testing and offender management plan targets, wrongful releases, and an escape from custody,” said Charles Chauvel.

"Coincidentally I visited Mt Eden yesterday, as well as the state-run Paremoremo and Auckland Women's prisons.

“While there is much positive work being done by the staff at each of them, one of the obvious realities is that a level playing field does not operate between the public and private sectors. Many of the state-run institutions have to cope with legacy facilities and procedures, which Serco is unburdened by.

"In light of that - and especially since, under National Serco’s slice of the corrections pie will double once the new Wiri Prison is built next year, and up to a quarter of all inmates in the system will be under their control - the public has a right to expect Serco's performance targets to be met.

"If Serco can't meet those targets while it runs new institutions with more operational flexibility than the state system, then that should send a strong signal that plans to expand its role significantly via the new Wiri prison need a rethink.

"Labour's preference is for the hundreds of millions of dollars planned to be spent at Wiri to be redirected toward refurbishing existing state-owned and run prison units around the country, rather than shutting those units down, as is planned.

"A number of small, well-maintained prisons around New Zealand, liberated from the legacy of years of deferred maintenance and able to work with local communities to rehabilitate local offenders, seems like a better option than a new 1000-bed behemoth in South Auckland, operated by a company that is failing to meet basic performance targets in its existing operation", Charles Chauvel said.