April 18, 2023
Full prison story beat up says Davis
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says a newspaper story claiming Rimutaku Prison is almost full is a beat-up.
The Herald on Sunday reported on an email claiming police in Wellington had been told to use discretion before making an arrest for repeat breaches of bail as offenders could end up being remanded in police custody for a prolonged period.
Mr Davis says there is spare capacity in the prison system, and if Rimutaka is near full inmates can be shifted to prisons in Whanganui, Manawatu or Hawke’s Bay.
“Look there’s plenty of capacity in our prisons. This is just a beat-up story. We’re in parliamentary recess. There’s not a lot happening so somebody has to make a name for themselves by basically interviewing their keyboard. There is plenty of room in the prisons,” he says.
Mr Davis says only 8500 of the 11,000 prison beds around the country are occupied at the moment – but decisions on custody are made by judges, not police.