Service Performance: Output Class 5- Custodial Services

This output class covers the provision of custodial services and the administration of custodial sentences in safe, secure and humane conditions for both male and female prisoners classified as maximum, medium and minimum security. Youth under 17 years of age and vulnerable 17-to 19-year-olds will be housed in specialist Young Offenders Units. Also included are the management of other specialist facilities and the Department’s drug reduction strategy.

It provided for a throughput of 9,196 new prisoners in the 2004/05 financial year, representing an average prison population of 5,559 prisoners. This requires the provision of beds and associated facilities to meet security, gender, age and other prisoner needs 24 hours a day.

OUTPUT CLASS STATEMENT: CUSTODIAL SERVICES
For the Year Ended 30 June 2005

30/06/04 Actual $000		30/06/05 Actual $000	Main Estimates $000	Supp. Estimates $000
	REVENUE
254,810	Crown	286,477	290,316	297,222*
418	Departmental	2,510	1,412	2,765
0	Other	0	0	0
255,228	Total Revenue	288,987	291,728	299,987*
255,879	Total Expenses	289,151	291,728	299,987*
(651)	Net Deficit	(164)	0	0
*These figures also include the following adjustment under section 5 of the Public Finance Act 1989:
		Supplementary Estimates $000	Section 5 Transfers $000	Final Appropriation $000
		298,967	(1,745)	297,222

The Inmate Employment output class was expected to be over appropriation mainly due to difficulties in some markets with volatile commodity prices. As a result of significant vacancies and prisoners tracking below the Ministry of Justice’s forecast, the Department was able to transfer the funds from the Custodial Services output class to cover this cost pressure.

OUTPUT 5.1 Maximum Security Men

This output provides for the safe, secure and humane confinement of adult male prisoners classified as maximum security. It incorporates the costs of accommodation, security, sentence management (including assessment), food and medical care.

	2003/04	Performance Standard 2004/05
Performance Measure	Actual	Actual	Budget	Variance
Quantity
The average number of maximum security sentenced prisoners:	99	62	103	–41
The percentage of sentenced prisoners with sentence management plans prepared and managed to the following standards in the relevant service description, Public Prisons Service Policy and Procedures Manual and Public Prisons Service Sentence Management Manual to be: on induction, each prisoner is provided verbally and in writing with accurate and timely information on the operation and rules of the institution and the entitlements of prisoners. Prisoners are informed of their obligations, rights, privileges and their access to services in a way they can understand. The prisoner’s immediate needs are addressed or referred for prompt action assessment interviews include prison staff and the prisoner and take into account any pre-sentence reports that are available the prisoner is placed into the appropriate work/programme the prisoner attends the allocated work/ programme all information is recorded and filed on the prisoner’s file sentence management plans are reviewed as per the plan.	72%	77%	100%	–23%
The number of breakouts per annum:	0	0	0	Nil
The number of non-returns from temporary release per annum:	0	0	0	Nil
The number of all other escapes per annum:	0	0	0	Nil

Comment

The average number of maximum security sentenced prisoners is initially influenced by rates of arrests and decisions of the judiciary and is outside the Department’s control. Thereafter, the security classification of individual prisoners becomes a function of the offence type and the security risk posed by the prisoner population. The downward trend in the maximum security prisoner population established over the 2003/04 financial year continued in the 2004/05 financial year, and reflects the application of processes designed to assign security classifications to prisoners at the lowest level practicable, having regard to the availability of accommodation and other resources. The Department will be reviewing the security classification system in 2005/06.

The percentage of sentenced prisoners with sentence plans is below the standard, reflecting a backlog of plans within the Public Prisons Service, which was being addressed throughout the year. The backlog was primarily attributable to:

the impact of the timing differential between the decision to reduce the number of sentence planners in the Northern Region and the recruitment of additional sentence planners for the other regions in the upper North Island
the increased throughput of remand and short-serving prisoners, and the associated higher level of prisoner movements as a result of these muster pressures, particularly in the upper North Island.

During the year, a contingency plan was developed to address the backlog and increased emphasis was placed on attending to the backlog of sentence plans for other sentence management categories of prisoners, which was considered the best use of resources in the short term. A prisoner’s maximum security classification generally occurs at the commencement of the sentence and prisoner management plans are developed as the prisoner moves out of this classification.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, achievement of a 100 percent standard under this quality measure is not realistic, because the overall prisoner population upon which the standard is based inevitably includes a proportion of prisoners who are not eligible for, or do not meet, the Department’s criteria for sentence planning.

Accordingly, this measure has been amended in the 2005/06 financial year to record the percentage of sentence plans for those prisoners “who are eligible and have met the Department’s criteria for sentence planning”.

OUTPUT 5.2 Medium Security Men

This output provides for the safe, secure and humane confinement of adult male prisoners (excluding young offenders accommodated in the Department’s Young Offenders Units) classified as high medium or low medium security. It incorporates the costs of accommodation, security, sentence management (including assessment), food and medical care.

	2003/04	Performance Standard 2004/05
Performance Measure	Actual	Actual	Budget	Variance
Quantity
The average number of medium security sentenced prisoners:
• Auckland Central Remand Prison:	25	26	0	26
• Public Prisons Service:	2,543	2,584	2,7751	–191
• Police/court cells:	0	33	0	33
Total average number of medium security sentenced prisoners:	2,568	2,643	2,775	–132
Quality
The percentage of sentenced prisoners with sentence management plans prepared and managed to the following standards in the relevant service description, Public Prisons Service Policy and Procedures Manual and Public Prisons Service Sentence Management Manual to be: on induction, each prisoner is provided verbally and in writing with accurate and timely information on the operation and rules of the institution and the entitlements of prisoners. Prisoners are informed of their obligations, rights, privileges and their access to services in a way they can understand. The prisoner’s immediate needs are addressed or referred for prompt action assessment interviews include prison staff and the prisoner and take into account any pre-sentence reports that are available the prisoner is placed into the appropriate work/ programme the prisoner attends the allocated work/programme all information is recorded and filed on the prisoner’s file sentence management plans are reviewed as per the plan.	78%	90%	100%	–10%
The number of breakouts per annum to be no more than:	9	7	3	4
The number of non-returns from temporary release per annum to be no more than:	0	0	2	–2
The number of all other escapes per annum to be no more than:	5	2	8	6

Comment

The average number of medium security prisoners is initially influenced by rates of arrests and decisions of the judiciary and is outside the Department’s control. Thereafter, the security classification of individual prisoners becomes a function of the offence type and the security risk posed by the prisoner population. The total average number of medium security prisoners was below planned levels, with the latter reflecting the Ministry of Justice prison population forecast.

The year-end result includes those sentenced prisoners who were held in court cells, the full year average of which was 33 prisoners. In general, the Department utilises court cells to accommodate sentenced prisoners, where necessary, and police cells to accommodate remand prisoners, although some sentenced prisoners were accommodated in police cells during the year.

the impact of the timing differential between the decision to reduce the number of sentence planners in the Northern Region and the recruitment of additional sentence planners for the other regions in the upper North Island
the increased throughput of remand and short-serving prisoners, and the associated higher level of prisoner movements as a result of these muster pressures, particularly in the upper North Island.

During the year, a contingency plan was developed to address the backlog and emphasis was placed on attending to the backlog of sentence plans for medium and minimum security male prisoners, which was considered the best use of resources in the short term.

prisoners whose final release date is within three months
prisoners on witness protection
recall prisoners
prisoners who have appeared before the New Zealand Parole Board more than twice.

All escapes that occurred during the year have been, or are in the process of being, investigated. Where necessary, procedures are amended or new procedures implemented. Confirmation of appropriate implementation of recommendations arising from individual investigations is provided to the Department’s Assurance Board.

OUTPUT 5.3 Minimum Security Men

This output provides for the safe, secure and humane confinement of adult male prisoners (excluding young offenders accommodated in the Department’s Young Offenders Units) classified as minimum security. It incorporates the costs of accommodation, security, sentence management (including assessment), food and medical care.

	2003/04	Performance Standard 2004/05
Performance Measure	Actual	Actual	Budget	Variance
Quantity
The average number of minimum security sentenced prisoners:
• Auckland Central Remand Prison:	6	6	0	6
• Public Prisons Service:	2,037	2,411	2,1562	255
Total average number of minimum security sentenced prisoners:	2,043	2,417	2,156	261
Quality
The percentage of sentenced prisoners with sentence management plans prepared and managed to the following standards in the relevant service description, Public Prisons Service Policy and Procedures Manual and Public Prisons Service Sentence Management Manual to be: on induction, each prisoner is provided verbally and in writing with accurate and timely information on the operation and rules of the institution and the entitlements of prisoners. Prisoners are informed of their obligations, rights, privileges and their access to services in a way they can understand. The prisoner’s immediate needs are addressed or referred for prompt action assessment interviews include prison staff and the prisoner and take into account any pre-sentence reports that are available the prisoner is placed into the appropriate work/programme the prisoner attends the allocated work/programme all information is recorded and filed on the prisoner’s file sentence management plans are reviewed as per the plan.	76%	90%	100%	–10%
The number of breakouts per annum to be no more than:	0	2	1	1
The number of non-returns from temporary release per annum to be no more than:	2	0	12	–12
The number of all other escapes per annum to be no more than:	2	6	8	–2

Comment

The average number of minimum security prisoners is initially influenced by rates of arrests and decisions of the judiciary and is outside the Department’s control. Thereafter, the security classification of individual prisoners becomes a function of the offence type and the security risk posed by the prisoner population. The total average number of minimum security prisoners was above planned levels (with the latter reflecting the Ministry of Justice prison population forecast) and was influenced by, inter alia, an increase in the throughput of prisoners on short sentences.

the impact of the timing differential between the decision to reduce the number of sentence planners in the Northern Region and the recruitment of additional sentence planners for the other regions in the upper North Island
the increased throughput of remand and short-serving prisoners, and the associated higher level of prisoner movements as a result of these muster pressures, particularly in the upper North Island.

prisoners whose final release date is within three months
applicants for front-end home detention
prisoners on witness protection
recall prisoners
prisoners who have appeared before the New Zealand Parole Board more than twice.

OUTPUT 5.4 Women

This output provides for the safe, secure and humane confinement of all female sentenced prisoners. It incorporates the costs of accommodation, security, sentence management (including assessment), food and medical care.

	2003/04	Performance Standard 2004/05
Performance Measure	Actual	Actual	Budget	Variance
Quantity
The average number of maximum security sentenced prisoners:	0	0	0	0
The average number of medium security sentenced prisoners:	86	97	77	20
The average number of minimum security sentenced prisoners:	185	222	2133	9
Quality
The percentage of sentenced prisoners with sentence management plans prepared and managed to the following standards in the relevant service description, Public Prisons Service Policy and Procedures Manual and Public Prisons Service Sentence Management Manual to be: on induction, each prisoner is provided verbally and in writing with accurate and timely information on the operation and rules of the institution and the entitlements of prisoners. Prisoners are informed of their obligations, rights, privileges and their access to services in a way they can understand. The prisoner’s immediate needs are addressed or referred for prompt action assessment interviews include prison staff and the prisoner and take into account any pre-sentence reports that are available the prisoner is placed into the appropriate work/programme the prisoner attends the allocated work/programme all information is recorded and filed on the prisoner’s file sentence management plans are reviewed as per the plan.	63%	73%	100%	–27%
The number of breakouts per annum to be no more than:	0	2	1	1
The number of non-returns from temporary release per annum to be no more than:	0	0	1	–1
The number of all other escapes per annum to be no more than:	0	0	1	–1

Comment

The average number of sentenced female prisoners is initially influenced by rates of arrests and decisions of the judiciary and is outside the Department’s control. Thereafter, the security classification of individual prisoners becomes a function of the offence type and the security risk posed by the prisoner population. The total average number of female prisoners was above planned levels, with the latter reflecting the Ministry of Justice prison population forecast.

The year-end result includes those sentenced prisoners who were held in court cells. In general, the Department utilises court cells to accommodate sentenced prisoners, where necessary, and police cells to accommodate remand prisoners.

The percentage of sentenced prisoners with sentence plans is below the standard, reflecting a backlog of plans within the Public Prisons Service, which was being addressed throughout the year.

The backlog was primarily attributable to:

the impact of the timing differential between the decision to reduce the number of sentence planners in the Northern Region and the recruitment of additional sentence planners for the other regions in the upper North Island
the increased throughput of remand and short-serving prisoners, and the associated higher level of prisoner movements as a result of these muster pressures, particularly in the upper North Island.

prisoners whose final release date is within three months
applicants for front-end home detention
prisoners on witness protection
recall prisoners
prisoners who have appeared before the New Zealand Parole Board more than twice.

OUTPUT 5.5 Male Youth

This output provides for the safe, secure and humane confinement of sentenced males under 18 years of age and vulnerable 18- to 19-year-olds, accommodated in the Department’s Young Offenders Units (except those classified maximum security). It incorporates the costs of accommodation, security, sentence management (including assessment), food and medical care.

	2003/04	Performance Standard 2004/05
Performance Measure	Actual	Actual	Budget	Variance
Quantity
The average number of male sentenced youth prisoners held in Young Offenders Units:	134	118	1124	6
Quality
The percentage of youth prisoners with sentence management plans prepared and managed to the following standards in the relevant service description, Public Prisons Service Policy and Procedures Manual and Public Prisons Service Sentence Management Manual to be: on induction, each prisoner is provided verbally and in writing with accurate and timely information on the operation and rules of the institution and the entitlements of prisoners. Prisoners are informed of their obligations, rights, privileges and their access to services in a way they can understand. The prisoner’s immediate needs are addressed or referred for prompt action assessment interviews include prison staff and the prisoner and take into account any pre-sentence reports that are available the prisoner is placed into the appropriate work/programme the prisoner attends the allocated work/programme all information is recorded and filed on the prisoner’s file sentence management plans are reviewed as per the plan.	64%	79%	100%	–21%
The number of breakouts per annum from Young Offenders Units to be:	0	0	0	Nil
The number of all other escapes per annum from Young Offenders Units to be:	0	0	0	Nil

Comment

The average number of male sentenced young offenders is initially influenced by rates of arrests and decisions of the judiciary and is outside the Department’s control. Thereafter, the security classification of individual prisoners becomes a function of the offence type and the security risk posed by the prisoner population. In addition, male sentenced prisoners in the Department’s Young Offenders Units are accommodated and retained in these units in accordance with the criteria set out in the Department’s Service Description for the Young Offenders Units. The total average number of male sentenced prisoners in the Young Offenders Units was marginally above planned levels, with the latter reflecting the Ministry of Justice prison population forecast.

the impact of the timing differential between the decision to reduce the number of sentence planners in the Northern Region and the recruitment of additional sentence planners for the other regions in the upper North Island
the increased throughput of remand and short-serving prisoners, and the associated higher level of prisoner movements as a result of these muster pressures, particularly in the upper North Island.

OUTPUT 5.6 Drug Reduction

This output entails the identification of drug users in prisons through the administration of three random drug screening programmes and other drug screening tests. It includes the costs of checkpoint drug control activities, drug dog services, and other activities undertaken alone or with other agencies.

	2003/04	Performance Standard 2004/05
Performance Measure	Actual	Actual	Budget	Variance
Quantity
The number of general random drug screening tests carried out to be no less than:	2,937	3,250	2,585	665
The number of random drug screening tests carried out on prisoners returning from temporary release to be no less than:	323	350	387	–37
The number of random drug screening tests carried out on identified drug users to be no less than:	1,647	1,774	1,670	104
The number of other drug screening tests carried out to be no less than:5	5,459	5,422	4,215	1,207
Quality
The annual average percentage of general random programme drug screening tests producing a positive result to be no more than:	17%	17%	16%	1%
The annual average percentage of random drug screening tests of prisoners returning from temporary release producing a positive result:	11%	13%	To be reported
The annual average percentage of random drug screening tests of identified drug users producing a positive result:	36%	34%	To be reported

Comment

The algorithm used to determine the number of general random programme drug screening tests generated a greater than anticipated number of tests during the year, resulting in a higher than expected number of tests being conducted. The additional number of tests generated by the algorithm was influenced by the higher than anticipated prison population, exacerbated by the increased throughput of prisoners.

The total number of other drug screening tests undertaken nationally over the financial year reflected the continued emphasis on both drug detection activities at all prisons, including the impact of tests conducted for reasonable cause and on voluntary grounds, and prison search policy activities, which were enhanced by the increase in the number of drug detection dog teams.

It is expected that the number of positive results for identified drug user tests will be higher than for the general population, because the prisoners have already been identified as drug users. The positive result statistics need to be read in the context of the number of results that have yet to be determined. As at 12 September 2005:

75 results have yet to be determined of the 3,250 general random tests conducted
107 results have yet to be determined of the 1,774 identified drug user tests conducted
179 results have yet to be determined of the 5,442 other tests conducted.

1 Ministerial approval was received to revise this performance standard from 2,697.

2 Ministerial approval was received to revise this performance standard from 2,200.

3 Ministerial approval was received to revise this performance standard from 193.

4 Ministerial approval was received to revise this performance standard from 134. It now excludes remand prisoners.

5 Other drug screening tests are defined as those undertaken on reasonable grounds or on a voluntary basis.