Simon Power preparing NZ to become a Prison Nation

Video proposal to cut cost of court trials
Justice will be administered through video links under a Government proposal that would revolutionise the court system and save millions of dollars a year. Criminals could be sentenced over a video link with the jail, rather than by being brought to the dock, and judges would preside over cases remotely instead of from the bench. The "virtual courtrooms" could eventually fulfil the principle of open justice by allowing the public to watch over the internet. Use of video links is part of a justice reform plan being considered by Justice Minister Simon Power in an attempt to speed the flow of cases through the clogged court system. Under the proposal, video facilities would be installed in prisons, police stations, courtrooms and legal offices. They would probably be initially used for routine appearances, such as pre-trial sessions, but could be extended to cover all aspects of the courts system, enabling juries and judges to work away from the courtroom. Mr Power told the Herald the proposal had "real appeal" for cost savings.

Well Simon HAS to find savings somewhere because the head of the Private Prison Company, GEO told the law and order select committee last week that Private Prisons will bring NO SAVINGS WHATSOEVER! Simon realizes that the raw meat law and order policy he’s sold NZ will mean a massive increase in prison numbers and to help NZ along into being a Prison Nation, Simon needs to streamline things like ‘virtual court rooms’. His other flawed plan however needs another look, Power wants to dump jury trials and produced a whole bunch of numbers to back up his assertion that dumping jury trials for certain crimes would ‘streamline’ his Prison Nation plans further, yet the figures didn’t add up…

Justice Minister questioned over jury claims
Defence lawyers have questioned Justice Minister Simon Power's claims that a revamped criminal justice system would save more than 1100 cases from being committed to jury trial each year - a saving of $20 million. In May, Mr Power proposed that anyone facing charges punishable by less than three years in prison should be able to be tried by a judge alone. At present, those facing sentences of three months or more can choose a jury trial. Such a radical change may require amending the Bill of Rights, but Mr Power said the reform - with "changes to the prosecution's discretion to lay charges" - would save around 1100 jury trials each year. However, Justice Ministry figures provided to the Criminal Bar Association under the Official Information Act show that the proposed changes to three-month threshold would have saved 184 trials in 2007.
The estimate of 1100 jury trials came from combining the 184 figure with removing the ability of the prosecution to choose the form of trial - whether charges were laid summarily or indictably. The number of fewer cases committed to trial would have been 966, according to the 2007 figures. "As approximately one-third of committed cases are matters where a verdict was reached, we have estimated that, from these 1100 fewer cases being committed to trial, 300 jury trials could be saved," the Justice Ministry said.

…so private prisons won’t save a cent and ‘streamlining’ by eliminating jury’s won’t eventuate the time saving qualities Power has sold the country. You will lose your right to a jury not for ‘timesaving’ but because the system will be so stretched by the large numbers of unemployed that Simon intends to shunt through the Prison Nation, that Simon needs to shut down any ability by the person being charged to slow the system down.

How is that Change going NZ, private prisons that don’t save a cent yet allowing corporations to warp our domestic policy even further? Well done, that’s a great change folks.