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Mr Brooking is a spokesman for the Howard League for Penal Reform. He is also the author of a criticial expose of New Zealand justice system: Flying Blind - How the justice system perpetuates crime and and the Corrections department fails to correct.
Br Brooking has worked as an alcohol and drug counsellor in Wellington for over 10 years. He provides comprehensive alcohol and drug assessments on offenders who end up in Court with alcohol and drug related offending. He also provides AOD reports to the Parole Board on inmates seeking to attend a substance abuse treatment programme in the community on release.
He has also made numerous submissions to government on the need for increased treatment opportunities for alcoholics and drug addicts and frequently appears as a commentator in the media on such topics. His particular concern is the lack of opportunities for offenders who appear in Court (and in prison) but get little or no help with their substance abuse problems and so continue to re-offend.
In 2012, the Corrections Department began comparing the effectiveness of its 17 prisons.
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In July 2014 the NZ Herald revealed the police have been cooking the crime stats in Papakura.
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No one would be surprised to hear that standover tactics, bullying and violence are rife in prison.
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Articles in Britain's Guardian newspaper describe how prisoners are treated like human beings on Bastoy Island.
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"It's a miracle no one died."
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The Corrections Department subjects prisoners to commonly used psychological torture techniques.
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A fascinating, but somewhat mysterious, piece of research has recently been published in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology.
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In the last 18 months, I have made numerous edits to Wikipedia articles on justice issues in New Zealand.
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Since 2008, more than 75 people have died in New Zealand prisons – where the suicide rate is 11 times higher than in the general population.
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Emily Wilson has been a nurse for 30 years but was suspended after an act of kindness to a dehydrated prisoner.
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The coroner's report into the death of Nicholas Harris in Waikeria prison last year found officers were 'justified' in their behaviour.
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The Dominion Post has just reported the outcome of the coroner's inquiry into the suicide of Kerry Joll.
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The police raided every house he stayed at - his mother died, his engagement broke up, and his ex-partner took off to Christchurch with his daughter - then he relapsed.
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New Zealand's crime rate has dropped for the third year in a row.
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Judith Collins claims only a very small number of prisoners will meet the criteria - but the Corrections Department says 3,840 will meet the criteria over ten years.
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Murray Wilson, aka the 'Beast of Blenheim' – committed his crimes well over 18 years ago.
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Jane Wilson is 36 year old drug addict with diabetes.
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The Independent Police Conduct Authority (generally known as the IPCA) has just released a comprehensive report on police deaths in custody.
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New research finds prison violence is linked to poor diet. Supplements containing vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids reduce violence in prisons by 37%.
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The Coroner recently released his findings into the death in prison of Richard John Barriball and was highly critical of staff at OCF.
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The Corrections Department uses sleep deprivation and 'the naked squat' on suicidal prisoners.
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Section 5 of the Corrections Act requires that prisons are "operated in accordance with rules ... that are based on the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.
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New Zealand's rate of imprisonment is on a par with third world countries wracked by violence and civil war.
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Dear Gerry, Take your Nokia - your little piece of Finland and call Prof John Pratt who actually knows what he's talking about.
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A Bill has just passed its first reading in Parliament which will enable prisoners to be charged with an offence for drinking too much water.
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Last week, the Government announced that two old prisons will close – Wellington's Mount Crawford Prison (which holds 120 prisoners) and the New Plymouth prison (which holds 112).
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The Government has set 10 targets for the public sector to achieve over the next three to five years - including a reduction in criminal re-offending.
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