Collins gives Corrections early Christmas present of $17.6m
Official reasons for largesse don't include taking over Mt Eden Prison from Serco.
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Hawke's Bay
Corrections Minister Judith Collins has announced a $17.6 million handout to the Department of Corrections.
In a release about the decision, Mrs Collins says the extra funding “will address cost pressures from the greater than expected prison population growth and enhancements to electronic monitoring.”
As of October 2015, the number of incarcerated Kiwis is 800 higher – or the “equivalent [of] a large-sized prison” than forecast in 2011, she says, “despite significant progress in reducing crime and improving public safety.”
The number of prisoners is now 8968, having hit “a record high” of 9171 on November 30.
According to the release, $15 million is intended to address the growth in the prison population, while the remaining $2.6 million “is being provided for improvements to the electronic monitoring system.”
Corrections has recently established a 24 hour GPS “immediate response team” and an “electronic monitoring assurance team” following adverse publicity earlier this year about the system’s shortcomings.
Nowhere in the release is any mention made of the additional cost involved in the corrections department having to take over the running of Mt Eden Correctional Facility from private contractor Serco in July.
That followed various allegations about the way the prison was being managed, including a high level of violent incidents.
Last week, following an inquiry into the allegations – the report on which is yet to be released - the government announced it would be cancelling Serco’s 10-year $300 million contract to run Mt Eden four years early.
Mrs Collins took up her ministerial responsibilities for the Department of Corrections again this week after resigning the portfolio prior to last year’s election due to Dirty Politics-related allegations of which she’s since been officially cleared.
When she previously held the portfolio, Mrs Collins awarded the Mt Eden contract to Serco.
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Staff Reporter
Thu, 17 Dec 2015
Thu, 17 Dec 2015
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Collins gives Corrections early Christmas present of $17.6m
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