Roper answers critics

Press, 13 September 1988, Page 3

Roper answers critics

By

NEIL CLARKSON

Critics of the mainly European make-up of the five-strong Ministerial Committee of Inquiry into Prison Systems were answered yesterday by its chairman, Sir Clinton Roper.

Sir Clinton, a retired High Court judge, made his comments as the final public hearing of the committee began yesterday. It is expected to last a week. ‘‘Since the inquiry began we have travelled far, not only from the point of view of distance but in the acquisition of knowledge of the prisons,” Sir Clinton told about 20 people present at the opening, including five prison chaplains who made the opening submission. “I think I can now say it holds few mysteries for us. “We have visited the 20 prisons throughout New Zealand. There we have spoken to hundreds of inmates and staff in private and in confidence, and we have learnt much from them.

“We have had public hearings in Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin and Invercargill, where many people attended and presented further submissions, many representing the Maori point of view.

“From time to time, the composition of this committee has been challenged because it does not represent a partnership. How can it when there is only one Maori on it? “On that we ask you to gauge us by results; by the recommendations we make. You can be assured that they will be wideranging.” The committee is charged with making recommendations to the

Government to establish the future direction of penal policy. Sir Clinton sits with Ms Kathy Dunstall, of Christchurch; Mr Robert Biddle, of Opotiki; Mr Bill Garrett, of Auckland; and Dr lain McCormack, of Wellington. The Rev. Howard Pilgrim, a Paparua Prison chaplain, told committee members in his submission: "As a society we are generous in our spending on hospitals and other caring institutions, but we do not yet include our prisons in that category. “When we do we will be willing to spend much more in order to make them places of real healing and restoration.” Mr Pilgrim called on prisons to be both secure and comfortable, with inmates able to live without a sense of threat from one another or from staff. Another Paparua Prison chaplain, Mr Ray Kamo, said that as prison numbers increased, greater risks arose of over-crowd-ing, lack of communication, racial tension, and the possibility of inmates’ rights not being adhered to. Mr Kamo recommended the establishment of a special custodial community that he called a bicultural co-operative. The community he proposed would be self-suffi-cient, with emphasis on rehabilitation, education and work skills.