GUEST BLOG: Arthur Taylor – What’s really happening inside our prisons right now

Corrections pays for non-existent counsellors

Corrections is paying a private contractor for drug and alcohol counsellors that do not exist, according to a Howard League spokesman.

There’s a lot more to come out on this . Also , I believe what they’ve done , in the story , breaches the Public Finance Act sections 5,6 & 7 . A drug counsellor at Springhill raised questions about the dodgy spending last year and was sacked for their trouble . Corrections is definitely on the backfoot over this one .

Meanwhile the nation’s prison system lurches toward a crisis. The latest news is that the rehab program probation officers are managing caseloads of up to 70 inmates, versus the recommended 35 inmate maximum.

There’s no way they can prepare inmates for Parole.

Too many parolees are being harrassed over minor parole breaches (like missing a probation officer appointment ) and returned to prison .

This shouldn’t be happening .

There’s an Appeal Court Decision from 2010 -. Miller Vs NZ Parole Board . Para. 129 . The gist of it is that a parolee should only be recalled if there is a realistic concern for public safety .

I predict the prison population will be over 10,000 by September.

 Arthur Taylor  is TDBs blogger inside prison who writes about prisoner rights.