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Archived Press Releases 2007 8th February 2007

Parole Board facing political pressure?

(8th February 2007)

"We believe the Parole Board has come under political pressure to release offenders and the safety of the community is now being severely jeopardised."

That is the response from the Sensible Sentencing Trust after a convicted rapist who broke his parole conditions went on the run.

Hiro Joe was sentenced to six years jail in 2002 for raping and sodimising a 15 year old girl but was released on parole and was facing new charges of kidnapping and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle.

He was granted bail by a Judge on January 5th and has been on the run since.

Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesman Garth McVicar said he believes the Parole Board has been put under considerable political pressure to release more offenders on parole.

"As the Government struggles with escalating violence and rising prison population parole has been seen as a tool to cut the numbers in prison - innocent lives are now being put at risk. Parole in our opinion is a failed experiment and must be abolished."

The latest parole debacle comes as the Government is facing considerable fall-out after Graeme Burton breached his parole conditions and went on a rampage and killed young Wainuiomata father Karl Kuchenbecker.

Regards,

Garth McVicar
National Spokesperson,
Sensible Sentencing Trust.