By VERNON SMALL

Act MP Stephen Franks has accused the Governor-General of breaching the neutrality of her office by wading into the debate over longer prison sentences.

In a speech opening a new Crime and Justice Research Centre at Wellington's Victoria University, Dame Silvia Cartwright called for "reasoned research" in the face of calls for extreme punishment.

She said prison was "as likely to deliver better-qualified criminals into the community" as reformed men and women.

Dame Silvia, who spent 20 years as a judge, said judges knew there was a place for prison and that a jail sentence was designed to protect the community.

As a last resort it might have some impact on those whose offending was escalating.

"But it is no place for our young men and women to languish if there is an alternative."

If research showed prison did not reform, "how can that be adequately communicated to a public which, in its grief and fear of violent offending, consistently calls for more and greater punishment?"

Reasoned voices were needed to answer calls for extreme punishment. Members of the public could not cope with the logical outcome of more prisons near their homes.

Before the election, opposition parties campaigned strongly for tougher sentences. The Government claimed it had already toughened up.

Mr Franks, a lawyer, said Dame Silvia was telling university researchers they were "on the side of the angels" and the community needed to hear more from them because the public did not know what was best.

"Only her fellow anointed intellectuals ever expected prison to rehabilitate," he said. "Reform was only ever a humane hope; a bonus if it happened.

"A neutral Crown is definitely becoming political when urging the experts responsible for our current theories to stick to their guns."

Justice Minister Phil Goff said Dame Silvia's comments were completely appropriate.