24 February 2026
C209335
Hayden
[FYI request #33296 email]
Tēnā koe Hayden
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request of 16 December 2026 to the
Ministry of Justice (MOJ). As you will be aware, on 26 January 2026 part of your request to
MOJ was transferred to the Department of Corrections – Ara Poutama Aotearoa, under
section 14 of the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). This transfer was for the following
information:
3. CORRECTIONS SYSTEM DEMAND AND COSTS
3.1 Prison Population Data:
Please provide for 2015-2024:
• Monthly prison population (total and per capita)
• Average sentence length by offence type
• Remand versus sentenced prisoner ratios
• Re-imprisonment rates (recidivism)
• Prison population projections to 2030, 2040
3.2 Economic Circumstances of Prisoners:
Please provide any Ministry analysis of:
• Employment status of individuals prior to imprisonment
• Benefit receipt history of prisoners
• Educational attainment levels
• Intergenerational patterns (children of prisoners becoming prisoners)
• Whether prisoners come disproportionately from economically deprived
communities
3.3 Cost per Prisoner:
Please provide:
• Average annual cost per prisoner (most recent year)
• Total annual corrections budget 2015-2024
• Projected corrections costs to 2030
• Analysis of whether corrections spending growth is sustainable
4. REOFFENDING AND INTERGENERATIONAL CRIME
4.1 Recidivism Analysis:
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 provide:
• Reoffending rates within 1 year, 2 years, 5 years of release
• Analysis of factors predicting reoffending (unemployment, homelessness, lack of
support)
• Cost of reoffending versus cost of rehabilitation and support
• Whether economic support upon release reduces reoffending
4.2 Intergenerational Justice Involvement:
Please provide any Ministry analysis of:
• Children of prisoners: likelihood of future offending and imprisonment
• Whether children in Oranga Tamariki care show elevated justice involvement
• Whether poverty and welfare dependency predict intergenerational crime patterns
• Fiscal cost of intergenerational crime cycles
4.3 Breaking the Cycle:
Please provide any Ministry analysis of:
• Cost-effectiveness of prevention versus incarceration
• Whether early intervention in high-risk families reduces long-term justice costs
• Return on investment for social programs preventing crime versus managing
offenders
5.3 Māori Justice Outcomes:
Please provide:
• Māori imprisonment rates compared to general population
• Analysis of drivers of Māori overrepresentation in justice system
• Whether economic deprivation explains disparities
• Cost-benefit analysis of addressing Māori economic inequality versus current justice
expenditure on Māori offenders
12. INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS 12.1 Imprisonment Rates: Please provide: •
New Zealand's imprisonment rate compared to OECD countries •
Countries with lower imprisonment rates: their crime rates and approaches •
Cost comparison: NZ justice system versus more rehabilitation-focused countries
Corrections needs to extend the timeframe of our response to your request by 30 working
days, pursuant to section 15A(1)(b) of the OIA, as consultations necessary to make a
decision on the request are such that a proper response to the request cannot reasonably
be made within the original time limit. Therefore, you can expect to receive a response to
your request by 9 April 2026. If you no longer require this information, please let us know as
soon as possible.
3
I hope this information is helpful. Please be advised that should you have any concerns
regarding this response you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate our
decision to extend the timeframe. Contact details are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box
10152, Wellington 6143.
Ngā mihi
Jeremy Lythgoe
Manager Government Services, Official Correspondence
People and Capability
