Parole-like supervision regime now in place

New powers to monitor and supervise returning offenders have received wide-spread support in Parliament following the passing of a new Bill, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.

The Returning Offenders (Management and Information) Bill passed its Third Reading unopposed in Parliament today.

“This is balanced and proportionate legislation that will mean returning offenders who arrive in New Zealand shortly after being released from prison will be subject to the same sort of oversight as offenders who served a similar sentence here,” says Ms Adams.

“Nine months from when I first received advice on issue, we now have a formal register in place, a trans-Tasman information sharing arrangement, and a supervision regime to supervise and reintegrate returning offenders,” says Ms Adams.

A mandatory review of the regime will be undertaken by a select committee within 18 months.

“This regime strikes a careful balance between offenders’ rights and public safety,” says Ms Adams.

“Some of these returning offenders are serious and violent criminals. While we can never remove all risk of them reoffending, this legislation is an important part of reducing that risk for law-abiding New Zealanders.

“Serious offenders have been returning to New Zealand for many years without supervision. As a result of the changes we made today, this is no longer the case. New Zealanders are better protected as a result.”

Background:

The proposed supervision regime in the Bill will apply automatically to returning offenders who:

• were sentenced to more than one year in prison in another country;
• return to New Zealand within six months of their release from custody overseas; and
• were imprisoned for behaviour that would be an imprisonable offence under New Zealand law.

The regime is the latest in a series of initiatives to strengthen New Zealand’s oversight of deported offenders:

• A register to track and monitor the deportation of offenders (completed 15 July)
• Creating an information sharing arrangement on trans-Tasman deportations which will enable New Zealand and Australian authorities to monitor deportations across the Tasman (completed 30 Sept)
• Introducing a legislative supervision regime for offenders (Details announced 27 October, Bill passed 18 November).