Justice Bill criticised

Press, 7 March 1984, Page 5

Justice Bill criticised

PA Wellington The Criminal Justice Bill had the potential drastically to undermine the effectivenesss of the criminal justice system, the Public Service Association has said. Presenting submissions to Parliament’s Statutes Revision Committee yesterday the P.S.A. said that it had also detected an erosion of the Government’s commitment to providing State welfare and social services.

“Instead of grasping the opportunity, after 30 years, to reshape progressively and fearlessly a system which has in reformatory terms not served the ends of criminal justice well, the Minister has timidly intro-

duced a recipe that is likely to provide us with more of the same fare,” the P.S.A. said.

“Far from being a reforming bill, this legislation is in essence a consolidation of present statutory provisions with some minor adjustments,” it said. The 92-page bill emphasises a need to imprison people for crimes of violence and to protect the public.

Other measures include a new sentence of reparation if the court is satisfied there was loss of or damage to property and the replacement of probation by a new sentence, called supervision, which requires an offender to be supervised by a probation officer.

A new sentence of com-

munity care will be established, district prison boards set up, and changes made to provisions dealing with mentally disordered people. In its submissions the P.S.A. said that the addition of sentences of reparation and community care would increase the workloads of probation officers in reportwriting and supervision. “We would be less than honest with the committee if we did not say bluntly that in some areas, and in particular the main metropolitan areas, this legislation will, even if it is passed, remain a dead letter.

“This is not because of an unwillingness on the part of probation officers t) u t because staffing establishmerits are inadequate.

Unless adequate permanent staff positions were provided to cater for high workloads now and expected increases, any chance of an effective and efficient service would be greatly minimised, the P.S.A. said. The New Zealand Association of Probation Officers said that the bill would result in increased duties for the Probation Service.

“Obviously then, there must be an undertaking to increase personnel and resources to the Probation Service as necessary so that these duties can be carried out in a professional and effective way.” Hastings probation officers also told the committee that they were con-

cemed that the bill represented a significant dilution of the criminal justice system by weakening the role and effectiveness of the service. “While the community in general seeks a sterner stance on law and order issues, the level of acceptance of the Probation Service would be eroded seriously to the point, in our view, where positive programmes such as reparation and throughcare could be jeopardised before they get established.” The officers also expressed disappointment that the reparation sentence was available only for property offences. They recommended that the proposal be expanded to include practical help for the victim by the offender.