An advocate fears for victims as figures show the number of electronic bail violations has skyrocketed over the past 10 years.
Figures released to Newstalk ZB under the Official Information Act show there were 832 cases of people
Electronic bail absconding cases surge over past decade as victims’ advocate warns of safety risks
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Annual EM bail violations have skyrocketed in ten years from 64 to 832. Picture / File
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It means, as a proportion of individuals on EM bail, the absconding rate increased from 5% to 14%.
Figures peaked in 2023 when there were 979 cases of absconding and 5,974 individuals on EM bail.
EM bail is granted to certain defendants who would otherwise be in custody while waiting for a court hearing.
The Department of Corrections manages EM bail and reports any breaches to police – including if the bailee tries to take off their anklet, leave an address without permission or is late back from a planned absence.
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Chief Victims Adviser Ruth Money said the increase in absconding cases was a very concerning trend.
She said bail was already a very emotional and anxiety-inducing time for victims.
“When you have someone, who is supposed to be safe, because they are being monitored, it is absolutely terrifying when you hear these statistics and learn that people are absconding.”
Money was particularly worried about the amount of time it took for the offenders to be found and apprehended again.
She expected police would act swiftly in most cases, but wanted certainty.
“If someone is wanting to hide and they don’t have their bracelet on then it is very difficult for police to find them. They are the most significant and serious cases that we are concerned about.”
Money said court delays meant more offenders were being put on monitored bail – and the absconding rate proved the system isn’t working.
Defence lawyer Steve Cullen said it was a difficult phenomenon to explain.
He said it could be down to any combination of causes, including social media, gangs, and social influences.
“Either EM bail is being given to a broader spectrum of people that it wasn’t before or those on EM bail are less likely to be compliant than they were in the past.”
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He said it wasn’t an easy problem to solve, and pointed to the fact that EM bail was still working in 85% of cases.
“Do we bring a melon to break a walnut and somehow tighten up on EM bail?”
But Cullen said the biggest difference could be made by properly resourcing enforcement.
“If people knew that they were going to be reported and apprehended quickly they’d be less likely to do it.”
The Department of Corrections said the rise in absconding was likely due to the increase in the number of people being granted EM bail.
However community operations director David Grigg said, with the exception of 2015, the rate of absconding had been relatively consistent, sitting around 15%.
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“Some people go to great lengths to attempt to manipulate or circumvent electronic monitoring restrictions, and we take any attempt to do this seriously,” he said.
Grigg said it had increased staffing in recent years as more people were granted EM bail and was constantly adapting its systems to keep the public safe.
Corrections and Police Minister Mark Mitchell said a return of consequences under this government had already led to a reduction in EM bail absconds.
“The previous government’s approach meant that offenders felt empowered to ignore the rules,” he said.
“There is more work to do, but the progress so far is encouraging.”
Corrections could not provide data on absconds for individuals sentenced with an EM condition because it wasn’t held centrally like EM bail figures.
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Jordan Dunn is a multimedia reporter based in Auckland with a focus on crime, social issues, policing and local issues. He joined Newstalk ZB in 2024 from Radio New Zealand, where he started as an intern out of the New Zealand Broadcasting School.