April 18, 2021
Battle of the bands brings smiles to prison
There’s been a battle at Ngāwhā Prison – and Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says it’s all good.
He was at the Northland Regional Corrections Facility on Friday for the battle of the bands.
"There are many talented musos in prison, sadly, and some amateurs as well who are very talented. They formed a couple of bands and had a play-off as well as a group made up of Corrections officers. Families came in including a lot of partners and mothers. It was wonderful to see people relaxing and laughing and enjoying the occasion," Mr Davis says.
Since Labour got in four years ago with a promise to reduce the prison population by 30 percent over 15 years, there are 860 fewer Māori inside, a drop of 16 percent.
Reconviction rates have gone down by 5 percent and reimprisonment rates by 4 percent.
Copyright © 2021, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com