Human Rights and Prisons - Rethinking Crime and Punishment

The consolidation of programmes that are connected to training
certificates from nationally-recognised institutions such as Industry
Training Organisations, Weltec or UCOL. This approach has a number
of functions such as building prisoner confidence in their abilities and
providing employers with an indication that the individual has reached a
national standard of proficiency. The Department of Corrections
(2010b) states that prisoners were assessed against a total of 80,199
New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) credits over the previous
year. These credit achievement figures reflect a sustained growth over
the last few years.
The continuation of the Release to Work programme in which prisoners
are placed in forestry, horticulture, construction and other industries. In
2008-09, Corrections sustained a level of 150 prisoners engaged in
Release to Work programmes, however this number declined to 117 in
2009-10 (ibid). The reasons for this decline have been attributed to
tightening economic conditions by the Department however
commentators, such as the Howard League, have claimed that it is the
consequence of increased risk-averse practices (Morning Report,
2011)
The development of strategies to attend to the specific training and
employment needs of Māori prisoners and young prisoners.
This training and employment approach taken by Corrections, since 2006 –
aided by the injection of additional government funding – is commendable and
must be developed. In building upon this progress, a few points might be
made.
First, studies show that those who have participated in prison-based
employment programmes have a higher chance of gaining employment, on
release, than other prisoners. They also have lower recidivism rates
(Department of Corrections, 2009f). International evidence (McHutchison,
2005) suggests that work that is (i) meaningful (ii) linked to vocational training
and accreditation, and (iii) linked to social environments in which the prisoner
will be released has a positive correlation with reduced re-offending rates.
Further, work that develops prisoner responsibilities (for example, in
organising activities, working in teams, prisoners instructing other prisoners,
and so) is useful. However, much of prison work (such as cleaning or laundry
work) is not proven to reduce reoffending rates – although, of course, it may
reduce prisoner boredom, provide a wage for prisoners, decrease tension,
and bring cost-savings to the institution. Thus, some work opportunities
provide greater benefit than others.
Second, while the Employment Policy establishes a rationale for setting a
commercial objective to prison industries, there is a strong argument to be
made that employment opportunities should not be developed solely in terms
of commercial viability. If work programmes can be directed along
meaningful, pro-training and pro-community values, then they can bring long-
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