“The degree of civilisation in a society can be judged by entering its prison” – Fyodor Dostoevsky
In this report the Edmund Rice Centre in Sydney looks at the flip side to what we know about our prisons. Despite New Zealand having the second highest imprisonment rate in the west we often overlook the impact that our prisons have on wider society. The likely privatization of our prisons similiar to Australia also highlights just how we care for some of society’s most vulnerable.
An exert from the report- Our prisons are full of people who are vulnerable and at risk. Prisoners are often young, mentally ill, suffering from drug dependency, poor or Indigenous – or all of these. It is for this reason that we must be committed to protecting the human rights of our prisoners, and prisons must be complemented with adequate housing, employment, drug treatment and mental health support.
Have a look at the full report here and have a look at the Howard League website for more NZ based information on the penal system.