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Soaring prisoner numbers in New Zealand are creating a north-south split as authorities argue over who should be burdened with criminals who reoffend on release.
With North Island prisons under huge pressure with the country's inmate population peaking at more than 8000, criminals are being sent south to
serve their time. Many choose to stay there upon release and continue offending.
That is upsetting police in the south. The head of Canterbury police, Superintendent Sandra Manderson, said she was sick of North Island criminals being released into the region to add to their crime burden.
From July last year to May, 82 offenders sentenced in courts outside the region had been sent to Canterbury prisons to serve their time, Ms Manderson said. Many of these were high risk, such as murderers and rapists.
"People I'm talking about find opportunities to offend wherever they are. It is substantial. They could be sent back to prisons near where they came from and then be released there. They are free to come [to Christchurch], I know that, but it is a question of when they are brought down here."
Mark Leys, the Police Union regional director for Auckland, said he shared Ms Manderson's frustration, but once prisoners had served their time, it was "impractical to dictate where they live".
"If they are genuine in their rehabilitation, and they want a fresh start, quite frankly they are probably better dislocated from their former associates." Mr Leys admitted that the average car thief sent from South Auckland to Canterbury would be "in paradise when he sized up the softness of the targets in the South Island".
The southerners have some sympathy from Auckland City Mayor Dick Hubbard. But Mr Hubbard said the issue went both ways, and the same should apply for South Island prisoners sent north to do their time.
"I'm opposed to Christchurch being regarded as the overseas convict centre for Auckland. That concept died with shipping convicts from London to Sydney."
The Corrections Department said it encouraged prisoners to live in an area where they had supportive family/whanau and friends, and/or help with rehabilitation.
"This is often in their home town but is certainly not limited to this," said spokeswoman Katrina Casey.
Criminologist Greg Newbold said the views expressed by Ms Manderson were unrealistic.
Prisoners released on parole had to demonstrate they had somewhere to live and it made a big difference if they had a job waiting for them on the outside.
"If they are down here [in Canterbury] it is easier to find somewhere to live than in Auckland. They will go for job interviews and will know people down here who can help them out.
"Their networks will be built here. You can't just ship them back up north."
