Problems at private prison all too predictable

News that more than half of 20 new staff at Serco’s Mt Eden prison have reportedly left their jobs amid fears for their safety is an unfortunate but predictable consequence of the Government’s privatisation agenda, Labour’s Corrections spokesperson Jacinda Ardern says.

“Selling off the management of our prisons to the lowest bidder was also going to have dire consequences. Overseas experience has shown that prisons run by corporations who put cost-cutting ahead of safety don’t function as they should.

“Mt Eden was supposed to be one of Serco’s flagship prisons, yet the company has failed to meet numerous targets in the three years since it took over the contract.

“Now we know that is staffing the prison with 100 fewer officers than the Corrections Association say are needed, and it is employing semi-trained people to do the job of professional corrections officers

“Up until earlier this year, part-trained civilians were even exercising search powers.

“That’s not only wrong, it is dangerous.

“By allowing this prison to run with less than acceptable staff-to-prisoner numbers Corrections Minister Anne Tolley is playing with fire.

“She needs to step up and acknowledge that this is a failed experiment, as has been evidenced overseas.”

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