Inmates ‘disgusted’

Press, 9 February 1983, Page 3

Inmates ‘disgusted’

Rolleston Prison inmates were “disgusted” that six Government members of Parliament made only a brief visit to the prison when they were on a tour of Christchurch penal institutions last week, according to one inmate.

The inmate, who did not wish to be named because of “obvious repercussions,” said he had written to “the Press' on behalf of the other 60 prisoners. The members of Parliament had arrived at the prison about 2.30 p.m. and spent 30 minutes at afternoon tea before spending about 10 minutes looking round the prison, he said. “It was a complete waste of time, as most of us were not even told of their coming in the first place,” he said. “We were not allowed to talk to them or even put in for an interview."

The inmate said that the “M.P. do-gooders” should make a detailed tour, or not waste the inmates’ or taxpayers’ time. He also objected to a photograph in “The Press” of some of the members behind bars in the prison, which he said was a “sick joke.”

One of the members of Parliament on the tour, the member for Fendalton, Mr P. R. Burdon, “totally” rejected the inmate’s criticism. Mr Burden said that the party, members of the Government caucus committee on justice, had visited Paparua Prison, Addington Prison, and the Christchurch Womens’ Prison, as well as Rolleston. The tour had spent more time at the Christ-

church Womens’ Prison than planned, and so the visit to Rolleston was slightly shortened.

He confirmed that the party spent 30 minutes at afternoon tea, but said they were addressed during that time by a warder who spoke about the prison and penal institutions. The members talked with some prisoners.

Mr Burdon said the aim of the prison tour was to allow the members of Parliament to become familiar with prison conditions, not to hear submissions from individual prisoners. “If the inmate has complaints about the prison system he should put them to us in a letter, not waste our time,” he said. The committee had already had submissions from prisoners as part of its investigations into penal reform. But it would pay “a great deal more attention” to representations by prison officers, psychologists, and specialist interest groups. In his letter to "The Press,” the prison inmate also said that for a minimum security prison, Rolleston would be “the toughest and most sadistically run prison in New Zealand.”

The prison superintendent. Mr K. L. Langley, said that the prison was not run harshly. Its operation had to comply with the Penal Institutions Act, 1954, and regulations which applied to all penal institutions.

“Prisons are not intended to be harsh places. It is a favourite saying among prison officers that people are sent to prison as punish-

ment, not for punishment.” Mr Burdon said that he did not believe Rolleston Prison was harshly run. He thought it was “remarkably well run and open.”

He said that the caucus committee was more concerned about the plight of the victims of crime than prison inmates.