$2b investment in law and order

Budget 2017 invests $1.24 billion of new operating funding over four years and $785.6 million of capital funding in law and order initiatives to help make our communities safer, Police Minister Paula Bennett, Justice and Courts Minister Amy Adams, and Corrections Minister Louise Upston say.

“The extra investment in Budget 2017 includes the $503.8 million Safer Communities Package which was announced earlier this year and will deliver an additional 1,125 police staff,” Mrs Bennett says.

“Budget 2017 provides an additional $1.52 billion to enable the justice sector to improve services and further reduce the impact on crime on New Zealanders,” Ms Adams says.

“This funding underpins the Government’s focus on preventing crime, reducing reoffending and better supporting victims. It includes $145.8 million of operating funding over four years and $20.2 million in 2016/17 to enable Justice and Courts to provide an enhanced level of service to deliver better outcomes for our growing population.”

“To support Corrections to deliver its core services and reduce reoffending, Budget 2017 will set aside $255.9 million of operating funding over four years and $763.3 million in capital funding for more prison capacity. While we’re focused on reducing offending, we also want to ensure we have enough prison beds to keep the worst offenders off our streets,” Ms Upston says.

“We’ll also upgrade infrastructure to enhance the safety of staff, prisoners, and the public.”

Other key initiatives include:

• $32.9 million over the next four years for burglary prevention.
• $13.9 million over the next four years to reduce reoffending, targeted at high risk young offenders.
• $40.2 million over the next four years and $2.1 million capital for investment in anti-money laundering initiatives.
• $11.9 million over the next two years for additional security personnel across New Zealand’s court system.
• $5.5 million over the next two years to continue the Iwi/Community Panels pilot.
• $51.6 million over the next four years to better manage offenders serving sentences and orders in the community, and to support the judiciary and Parole Board to make informed risk-based sentencing and parole decisions.
• $30.2 million over the next four years to improve the way prisoners at risk of self-harm and suicide are managed in prison, and to increase access to industry, treatment and learning interventions.
• $1.4 million of operating funding over the next four years and $840,000 capital to provide the Serious Fraud Office with an integrated case and evidence management system to enable better analysis and management of complex evidence and data.

“Budget 2017 continues to invest in services that will enhance our criminal justice system and reflects the Government’s ongoing commitment to keeping New Zealanders safe,” Mrs Bennett says.