05 March 2021
C129674
BAW Russell
[FYI request #14273 email]
Tēnā koe BAW Russell
Thank you for your request of 11 December 2020, requesting information about the
Prisoner Incentive Framework. Your request has been considered under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA).
Corrections provides a comprehensive range of rehabilitation, education and
employment opportunities to help prisoners prepare to maintain a crime free life
outside prison. The majority of people in prison have no formal qualifications and
limited education or work experience prior to coming to prison. We know that helping
people gain education, qualification, or employment skills increases their likelihood of
finding employment when they are released. It reduces their likelihood of re-
offending and keeps our communities safe.
People in prison who undertake employment and training do so on a voluntary basis.
Corrections pays people in prison a small allowance through the Prisoner Incentive
Framework to encourage prisoners to take part in activities that we know help with
their rehabilitation and reintegration. This allowance is not a wage or a salary.
I note that you have made a similar request in December 2018 and that the current
request is for updated figures for the same subject matter. The previous request was
posted at fyi.org.nz/request/9188-prisoner-incentive-framework and has a
Corrections reference number of C102925.
The information you seek cannot be readily retrieved for the entire financial year. In
line with the previous request, we have provided four random weeks’ data. During
the nationwide lockdown caused by COVID-19, as well as the second Auckland
Region lockdown, people in prison continued to be paid as if at work. As a result
COVID-19 restrictions have not had a significant effect on the figures. For reference,
the week of 26 April 2020 was the final week of Alert Level 4.
2
You requested, for the 2019/2020 financial year:
- the total number of hours of activity undertaken at each payment level,
broken down by the type of activity (e.g. how many hours at each payment
level for employment, education, and rehabilitation respectively)
These figures have been provided in Appendix One.
- the total number of hours paid at the unemployment rate
These figures have been provided in Appendix Two.
- the total money paid to prisoners under the framework
For the 2019/20 financial year, the total amount paid to people in prison under the
Prisoner Incentive Framework was $4,273,295. This translates to an average of
$82,179 per week.
- the revenue earned by the Department from prisoner employment and other
activities undertaken under the framework.
These figures have been provided in Appendix Three. These figures are the total
revenue paid to Corrections only and do not include any expenditure. The inclusion
of a new ‘Release to Work’ (RtW) category in this response was reported as part of
the ‘other’ category in our 2018 response and accounted for $542,990 that year.
As noted to you in 2018, the RtW programme allows people on minimum security
classifications, who are assessed as suitable, to engage in paid employment in the
community where they can gain experience, employment skills and job stability to
support them into work and to live crime-free on release. Individuals on RtW have
previously participated in prison-based activities to ensure they are well-prepared for
community-based employment and that the public is safe. They are paid at a full
market rate determined by their employer.
While participating in the RtW programme, individuals agree to pay board to
Corrections for their detention in prison. These payments also contribute to costs
associated with facilitating safe access to community-based employment including,
for example, the use of GPS trackers to ensure RtW participants remain at approved
work locations at all times. Board is charged at 30 percent of their take-home
earnings, up to a maximum of $273 per week. The RtW figure included in this table
represents the total board paid to Corrections by RtW participants. Further
information about RtW can be found at:
https://www.corrections.govt.nz/working_with_offenders/prison_sentences/employm
ent_and_support_programmes/employment_activities/release_to_work
3
I trust the information provided is of assistance. Should you have any concerns with
this response, I would encourage you to raise them with Corrections. Alternatively,
you are advised of your right to also raise any concerns with the Office of the
Ombudsman. Contact details are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152,
Wellington 6143.
Ngā mihi nui
Topia Rameka
Acting National Commissioner
4
Appendix One: Number of hours paid to people in prison, at each pay level, by
activity
Week ending 18/08/19
Total
20c
30c
40c
50c
60c
hours
Reintegration
3,896
761
38,150
25
3,466
46,298
Industries
4,892
1,611
44,146
417
20,816
71,882
Unit Employment
6,354
647
27,781
473
4,313
39,568
Total
15,142
3,019
110,077
915
28,595
157,748
Week ending 24/11/19
Total
20c
30c
40c
50c
60c
hours
Reintegration
4,145
828
38,497
48
3,524
47,042
Industries
4,971
2,407
41,229
169
22,704
71,480
Unit Employment
7,447
575
30,237
259
5,372
43,890
Total
16,563
3,810
109,963
476
31,600
162,412
Week ending 26/04/20
Total
20c
30c
40c
50c
60c
hours
Reintegration
3,087
364
35,351
12
4,807
43,621
Industries
6,070
1,444
38,446
140
21,438
67,538
Unit Employment
7,999
270
30,528
204
5,762
44,763
Total
17,156
2,078
104,325
356
32,007
155,922
Week ending 14/06/20
Total
20c
30c
40c
50c
60c
hours
Reintegration
2,858
322
33,534
18
4,645
41,377
Industries
5,202
1,310
37,169
133
20,538
64,352
Unit Employment
9,028
602
32,330
265
6,726
48,951
Total
17,088
2,234
103,033
416
31,909
154,680
Sample average (to nearest hour)
Total
20c
30c
40c
50c
60c
hours
Reintegration
3,497
569
36,383
26
4,111
44,586
Industries
5,284
1,693
40,248
215
21,374
68,814
Unit Employment
7,707
524
30,219
300
5,543
44,293
Total
16,488
2,786
106,850
541
31,028
157,693
5
Appendix Two: Hours paid at the unemployment rate per week
Unemployment Rate paid per week
Week Ending
18/08/19
24/11/19
26/04/20
14/06/20
Average
Hours Paid
112,350
108,215
118,205
109,803
112,143
Appendix Three: Total revenue for the 2019/20 year, by employment activity
Employment Activity
Engineering
$1,084,123
Primary Sector
$13,800,315
Prison Based Industries
$1,143,183
Timber
$1,638,677
Other
$7,012
Release to Work
$727,966
