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What specific policy, legislative, or operational changes directly contributed to a 24% increase in the women’s prison population in 12 months? and 1 other question

Answered 505, 506 (2026)
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Asked by

Tamatha Paul

Member for Wellington Central · Green Party

Questions

  • 505

    What specific policy, legislative, or operational changes directly contributed to a 24% increase in the women’s prison population in 12 months?

  • 506

    Was the 24% increase in the rate of women incarceration between September 2024 - September 2025 anticipated by officials, and if so, where is the advice or modelling that warned of this?

Answered by

Hon Mark Mitchell

Member for Whangaparāoa · National Party · Minister of Corrections

Answer

Corrections manages people at the direction of the courts and the New Zealand Parole Board and does not determine who is in prison. I am advised that the modelling of impacts of policy changes on the prison population is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice prepares and publicly releases Justice Sector Projections on behalf of the justice sector, the most recent justice sector projections are available on the Ministry of Justice’s website at the following link: https://www.justice.govt.nz/justice-sector-policy/research-data/justice-sector-projections/.