Introduction from the Chief Executive

I am proud to lead an organisation that has a great passion and commitment to managing some of New Zealand’s most difficult individuals.

Every day over 9,000 Corrections staff head to work where they manage over 10,500 prisoners and over 30,000 offenders serving sentences and orders in the community. As the largest public sector agency, the Department of Corrections has a vital role in maintaining the safety and wellbeing of the community, and in changing the lives of those within our care.

In recent years the growth in our prison population has resulted in a number of challenges across all of Corrections’ areas of work through the increased demand on our facilities, programmes, and people. We have had to quickly adapt by adding more prison capacity into service, hiring more staff, and expanding our employment, educational, and rehabilitation programmes.

While we have risen to these immediate challenges, addressing ongoing demand will depend our on our ability to continually explore new ways to deliver enhanced services whilst maintaining our firm commitment to safety.

Over the next four years we will look to improve the skills and capabilities of our staff, deliver more rehabilitation programmes with greater effectiveness, and expand the range of services to support offenders to effectively transition into the community.

Further strategic decisions are needed to address our long-term capacity concerns and the Government has signalled intent to transform the criminal justice system. Corrections is committed to working closely with the wider justice sector to achieve the Government’s goal of creating a justice system that enhances public safety, that improves people’s lives, and that supports community wellbeing.

I am confident that Corrections will continue to build on our progress in recent years, with the support of our hardworking and dedicated workforce who are committed to the goal of making New Zealand a safer place.