Posts Tagged ‘prisons’

Walking the Human Rights Tightrope in NZ Prisons

Written By: - Date published: 8:45 pm, April 1st, 2019 - 114 comments

The question of prisoners’ rights has hit the news today. That’s rare because we don’t normally care.

A new Guest Post from Maggie puts the case that we walk a tightrope when we seek to simplify the complex issues at play in prison.

NRT: The banality of evil

Written By: - Date published: 2:48 pm, March 6th, 2017 - 3 comments

I/S at No Right Turn: “This is where National’s cuts and austerity have taken us: to a place where Corrections tortures and abuses people because it is the “cheapest” way of managing them.”

Admitting failure on private prisons

Written By: - Date published: 8:45 am, July 25th, 2015 - 32 comments

The Nats have been forced to call in the good old-fashioned state to clear up Serco’s mess.

Corrections minister in trouble

Written By: - Date published: 3:39 pm, July 22nd, 2015 - 67 comments

Sam Lotu-Iiga appears to have been lying.

NRT: The left should not support prison slave labour

Written By: - Date published: 2:37 pm, September 11th, 2014 - 63 comments

With Labour supporting the plan, I/S at No Right Turn makes the case against “working prisons”.

Tough on crime

Written By: - Date published: 9:22 am, March 26th, 2012 - 85 comments

New Zealand has one of the highest rates of imprisonment in the world, and an international study has just highlighted the fact.

Simon says

Written By: - Date published: 10:28 am, July 17th, 2009 - 61 comments

Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias has kicked off a debate on whether our justice policy is working [PDF  link]. Her view is that the frequent failure of punitive sanctions demands a rethink. Her analysis is supported by over 40 years experience in the criminal justice system and in the TV3 clip (below), her views seem […]

A National disgrace

Written By: - Date published: 9:25 am, July 15th, 2009 - 13 comments

Judith “Crusher” Collins, postergirl for uncompassionate conservatives, proudly announces in her latest press release: “Prison numbers set to be highest ever”. Odd thing to be proud of when what it really shows is a justice system that’s failing. Our rate of incarceration – the second highest in the western developed world – should be a national […]

A healthy dose of reality on prisons

Written By: - Date published: 12:37 pm, March 30th, 2009 - 10 comments

Peter Williams QC was on Breakfast this morning giving a refreshingly frank assessment of the problems with our prison and justice systems – specifically how *not* to solve them: Our prisons are a complete and absolute disgrace but they’re not going to be helped by privatisiation. Worth watching.

Tapu Misa on private prisons

Written By: - Date published: 12:14 pm, March 17th, 2009 - 32 comments

From Tapu Misa’s latest column: National thinks that… [t]hrough the magic of “competition” we’ll get a first rate penal system, and private providers will make a profit without our having to spend any more money. Given the lack of strong evidence for this proposition, this seems to be based squarely on faith and ideology. But […]

Prisons for profit

Written By: - Date published: 5:50 pm, October 28th, 2008 - 49 comments

National’s announcement that it plans to privatise the prison system says a lot about the party’s underlying values. Say what you like about National’s temporary flip-flops, underneath they haven’t changed a bit. Whether it’s ACC, privatising assets, drafting electoral law or reforming the Resource Management Act, the National Party stands for entrenching private power at […]

Power to attack Nats’ new prison policy?

Written By: - Date published: 2:55 pm, October 7th, 2008 - 30 comments

If he stands true to his principles, National justice spokesman Simon Power will soon be criticising the cost of their proposed new prison. You’ll note in this story that National proposes to build a prison (for their new reactionary justice policy) at a cost of $314 million. That is $548,951 per bed. Or not far […]

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