A National government will ensure prisoners on remand can access more of the rehabilitation programmes they need to help them turn their lives around, National’s Corrections spokesperson Mark Mitchell says.

“Prison rehabilitation programmes play a crucial role in reducing re-offending rates.

“However, a significant proportion of prisoners in New Zealand cannot access the most effective rehabilitation programmes due to being on remand - held in custody awaiting trial or sentencing.

“Although remand prisoners can enrol in life skills courses like parenting or money management, they are not eligible for more effective offence-based rehabilitation programmes, which address the underlying causes of serious offences.

“Of the 29 rehabilitation programs offered in New Zealand, just three are available to remand prisoners.

“Delays in the court system means that 45 per cent of the overall prison population currently resides on remand, while 23 per cent of all prisoners complete their entire sentence while awaiting trial. We are squandering the opportunity to deliver crucial rehabilitation programmes to nearly half of all offenders.

“To ensure more prisoners receive rehabilitation, National will extend eligibility for all rehabilitation programmes to remand prisoners so that we can support more offenders toward productive and positive pathways.

“If an offender is willing to work hard and turn their life around, National will support them.

“Rather than branding prisons as the "university of crime" and focussing on reducing the prison population regardless of how much crime is happening, it’s time for the Government the confront the reasons behind the failure to rehabilitate prisoners.

“Continuing to withhold vital rehabilitation services from prisoners is no longer sustainable. These programs are essential for reducing the likelihood of reoffending and breaking vicious cycles of criminal behaviour. That is what a National government will deliver.”