Finance Minister Bill English recently stated that no money should be spent on prisons. Other commentators decry the use of prisons, arguing they achieve little in the fight against crime. In contrast, this book sets out various arguments for locking up violent criminals for a long time.
Author David Fraser argues such action will help protect society and assist in the reduction of crime. His arguments are supported with multiple figures, graphs and schedules.
Fraser had 26 years with the English Probation Service and has been a criminal intelligence analyst with the national Criminal Intelligence Service in England.
He has previously published an expose of crime and punishment in England. He says Badlands is the result of three years of New Zealand research and analysis.
The book says the solution to crime is to lock up violent offenders for increasingly lengthy periods every time they offend. He suggests that the failure of existing methods to reduce crime means that now is the time to try imprisonment rather than soft non-custodial measures.
The book has much criticism for soft judges, the Corrections Department - particularly the probation division - the parole board and the so-called criminal experts and psychologists.
The book is no bedside thriller but is full of facts and figures that require consideration even if some of the calculations and costs seem to be broad estimates.
There are pages of notes and references which go to support the claim that it is an analytical study of the issues. However, citing media releases from the Sensible Sentencing Trust in some cases as reliable references hardly seems authoritative.
Certainly victims of violent crime and their families will wholeheartedly support the effort to debunk various myths about crime in New Zealand.
Likewise, many people will agree with Fraser's assertion that people elect of their own accord to carry out criminal activity and are not forced to do so by socio-economic conditions as some suggest. He says the claim that socio-economic conditions are the cause of crime is an insult to all honest people who grow up in similar circumstances.
In an election year, where law and order and crime and punishment will no doubt cause the usual beating of the drums, Badlands sets out a strong statement for one side of the argument. Perhaps it should be compulsory reading for all politicians, judges and those who work in the criminal justice system.
For the wider public it may well provide an insight and may be some reservation into the official claim that New Zealand is tough on crime.
Badlands NZ: A Land For Criminals
by David Fraser, Howling at the Moon Publishing, $41.90