Dean Jacqui: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Dean Jacqui: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 30 January 2013. Volume:687;Page:7609. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
12. 
JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki) 
 to the  
Minister of Corrections 
: What steps is the Government taking to improve prisoner employment training in New Zealand prisons? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Corrections) 
: 
 The Government will be establishing Auckland Women’s Centre Rolleston Prison and Tongariro/Rangipo Prison as full working prisons. All prisoners at these three prisons will be engaged in a structured 40-hour week of employment and rehabilitation activities. Many prisoners have poor employment histories. Over 50 percent of prisoners did not have a job when they came into prison— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I hate to do this on your last question. I do not know whether it is the ambient noise in the Chamber or whether something has happened with the volume but I think we are not getting it over here. We had a bit of trouble hearing the question and the answer also is not coming through very clearly. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Could I ask the Minister to maybe speak a little closer to the microphone if it is difficult to hear. 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: Do you want me to start again? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No I would not ask the Minister to start again. Please if she could just finish her answer. [ 
Interruption 
] Order! Order! 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: Over 50 percent of prisoners did not have a job when they came to prison and most have no formal qualifications. Working prisons will ensure that more prisoners have the opportunity to gain work experience and qualifications which will increase their chances of finding employment on their release. 
Jacqui Dean 
: Why is employment training important in rehabilitating prisoners? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: Prisoner employment has been shown to have a significant impact on reoffending rates. Research undertaken by the Department of Corrections has shown that the reoffending rates were reduced by over 8 percent for prisoners who participated in prison-based employment activities and over 16 percent for prisoners on the Release to Work programme. International studies have shown that having a job after release is a critical element to leading someone away from a life of crime. That is why this Government is committed to increasing that employment and skills training for prisoners significantly over the next 5 years as part of its programme to reduce reoffending by 25 percent. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: Does the Minister see the provisions in the National - United Future confidence and supply agreement regarding mandatory alcohol and drug pre-release assessments for prisoners as complementary to the employment training strategy and helping position those inmates for long-term employment once they are released? 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY 
: Yes we agree that drug and alcohol addiction is a major driver of crime. In order to reach that 25 percent reduction in reoffending we need not only to train the prisoners so that they have the skills to get a job but also to treat their addiction issues. That is why this Government is significantly increasing drug and alcohol treatment both for prisoners and for offenders in the community. An extra 33000 of them will get some form of drug and alcohol addiction treatment. Pre-release drug and alcohol assessments will complement all of these efforts and will help ensure that prisoners have the assistance that they need to overcome their addiction issues and remain in stable employment. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That brings to a close my final question time. I fear I have blotted my copybook in that it has taken somewhat longer than usual.