16 November 2021
C143324
Ti Lamusse
[FYI request #17397 email] Tēnā koe Ti,
Thank you for your request of 29 October 2021 to the Department of Corrections – Ara Poutama
Aotearoa (Corrections), requesting the following information:
1) Since January 1 2018, has the Department (or its contractors) conducted any research
investigating the causes of the falling prison population? If so, please provide me with the
title of those pieces of research, and the date they were completed. If research has
commenced but it is not yet complete, please provide me with the start date of the
research and the expected completion date.
2) Please provide me with all the documents identified in response to question 1
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).
Corrections does not determine who is in prison and who is in the community. This is decided by the
Courts or the New Zealand Parole Board.
Corrections has conducted one piece of research relating to the decline in the prison population. This
research was titled,
“I’m trying to change my ways”: The desistance processes of persistent offenders
and was published in July 2019.
This report is publicly available on our website and can be foun
d here. In accordance with Clause 8 of Schedule 6 of the Public Service Act 2020, Chief Executives of agencies
are now required to prepare a Long-Term Insights Briefing (LTIB) to the appropriate Minister at least
once every three years. The Justice Sector is conducting a public consultation in relation to a LTIB
which aims to investigate trends in the Justice Sector since 1960, including changes in the prison
population over the past 60 years. The public consultation remains open until 30 November 2021 and
the remaining timeline for the LTIB is available
here. In 2022, the final briefing will be presented to
Parliament and made available to the public.
NATIONAL OFFICE, WELLINGTON
Mayfair House, 44 – 52 The Terrace, Wellington, 6011, Private Box 1206, Wellington 6140,
Phone +64 4 460 3000
www.corrections.govt.nz
2
I encourage you to raise any concerns about this response with Corrections. Alternatively, you are
advised of your right to also raise any concerns with the Office of the Ombudsman. Contact details
are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
I trust the information provided is of assistance.
Ngā mihi
Topia Rameka
Deputy Chief Executive Maori
