Smith escape due to systemic failures – report
“Quite simply, this is not good enough,” says Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga.
The review into the escape of murderer and paedophile Phillip Smith has identified a number of failings within the Corrections Department about the management of the prisoner in the lead-up to his absconding, Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has acknowledged.
Mr Smith flew out of New Zealand on November 6 while on temporary release from Spring Hill prison and was recaptured on November 13 in Rio de Janeiro, where he is currently awaiting deportation.
"The main issue was that the plan to manage the prisoner was misinformed," Mr Lotu-Iiga says.
Not only wasn’t Mr Smith managed “adequately,” the review also reveals there was conflicting information about the risk the prisoner posed, issues with the sponsor selection process, flaws in the temporary release policy, and that prison staff responded passively in response to suspicions about Mr Smith's whereabouts.
“Quite simply, this is not good enough,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga, who notes the trust New Zealanders should have in Corrections “has been sorely tested and there is a great deal of work to do to restore it.”
The internal Corrections review made 13 recommendations to improve the temporary release process and will be adopting them all.
The key recommendations are:
- making GPS monitoring the default for all prisoners on temporary release unless authorised by the prison manager;
- limiting temporary releases to a maximum of 12 hours, unless approved by the national commissioner; and
- convening a multi-disciplinary panel – including police, CYF, a local community representative, psychologist and probation staff – chaired by the prison manager to consider all temporary releases.
The internal review will inform the government inquiry into Mr Smith’s escape that State Services Minister Paula Bennett announced yesterday.
Read the report here
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Smith escape due to systemic failures – report
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