18 September 2023
C170828
Aaron Goodwin
[FYI request #23494 email]
Tēnā koe Aaron
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request of 15 July 2023 to the
Ministry of Justice, requesting the following information:
Please advise how many people released on parole went on to commit homicide
within 10 years of being granted parole. Please provide these numbers from between
the year 2000 until the date this OIA request was submitted.
As you will be aware, your request was transferred to the Department of Corrections for
response.
Since the New Zealand Parole Board was formed in 2002, there have been 27,933
individuals released by the New Zealand Parole Board. Since 2000, there have been 100
people who have been released on parole and convicted of a total of 105 offences of
murder within 10 years of their release on parole.
Could you please also include information relating to the number of prior convictions
each parolee had before going on to commit homicide while on parole?
Unfortunately, we cannot readily extract the number of prior convictions each person on
parole had before being charged with murder as it is not held in any readily retrievable
format. To identify this type of specific information, we would be required to manually
review a large number of files. As there is 100 people who have been convicted of murder
within 10 years of parole, we would need to go through each person’s file and count how
many prior convictions they have.
In accordance with the OIA, we have considered whether to affix a charge or extend the
time limit for responding. However, given the scale of the request we do not consider that
this would be an appropriate use of our publicly funded resources. Therefore, this part of
your request is refused under section 18(f) of the OIA, as the information cannot be made
available without substantial collation or research.
As per Section 18B we have considered whether consulting with you would enable the
request to be made in a form that would remove the reason for the refusal. However, we
do not consider that the request can be refined in this instance.
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
Please note that this response may be published on Corrections’ website. Typical y,
responses are published quarterly, or as otherwise determined. Your personal information
including name and contact details will be removed for publication.
I trust the information provided is of assistance. 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, Wel ington 6143.
Ngā mihi
Leigh Marsh
National Commissioner
