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At as 31 December 2014, there are 8080 male prisoners and 561 female prisoners being held across 17 prisons in New Zealand.〔() Department of Corrections: Quarterly Prison Statistics〕 The most populated prison in New Zealand is Mt Eden Corrections Facility, with 952 prisoners, closely followed by Rimutaka Prison with 942 prisoners.〔() Department of Corrections: Quarterly Prison Statistics〕 In New Zealand, many of the human rights are embodied under various domestic legislation, including the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 ("NZBORA") and the Human Rights Act 1993 ("HRA"). For example, section 9 of NZBORA affirms that everyone has the right not to be subjected to torture or to cruel, degrading, or disproportionately severe treatment or punishment.〔New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, s 9.〕 New Zealand also has a number of international obligations, being party to a number of international treaties and covenants such as the United Nations Convention against Torture, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ("CAT") and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (“ICCPR”). For example, Article 10 of the latter provides that all persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.〔International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (opened for signature 16 December 1966, entered into force 23 March 1976), art 10.1.〕 It follows then, that New Zealand prisoners are afforded a number of human rights. However, this is not always the case. Recent criticisms by a United Nations report clearly highlight a number of issues which constitute the ill-treatment of prisoners; such as remand prisoners being routinely held on lock-down for 19 hours per day; an increasingly strict prison regime, as well as the mixing of adult and youth prisoners.〔Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ''Report on the visit of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to New Zealand'' (2015).〕 ==History of prisoners' rights in New Zealand== The first New Zealand prisons were established in the 1840s.〔Peter Clayworth. 'Prisons - Early prisons, 1840–1879', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 13-Jul-12 URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/prisons/page-2〕 By 1878 there were 30 small prisons built throughout New Zealand.〔Peter Clayworth. 'Prisons - Early prisons, 1840–1879', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 13-Jul-12 URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/prisons/page-2〕 They were flimsy, underfunded and under resourced.〔Peter Clayworth. 'Prisons - Early prisons, 1840–1879', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 13-Jul-12 URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/prisons/page-2〕 For example, New Plymouth Prison comprised two cells and a small outdoor yard〔Peter Clayworth. 'Prisons - Early prisons, 1840–1879', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 13-Jul-12 URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/prisons/page-2〕 From early on, the prison system was heavily criticized for the day to day conditions prisoners endured such as damp, cramped cells and long hours of isolation. A royal commission of inquiry was called for in 1868, but failed to precipitate any changes. In 1880 a standardized prison system was introduced, under the watch of Arthur Hume, the first Inspector General of Prisons.〔J. A. B. Crawford. 'Hume, Arthur', from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 30-Oct-2012 URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/biographies/2h55/hume-arthur〕 This new system focused on being economical and acting as a reformative deterrent to prisoners.〔Peter Clayworth. 'Prisons - Developing a national prison system, 1880–1949', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 29-Jul-13 URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/prisons/page-3〕 Conditions became harsher for those on the inside including rations being cut and communications between prisoners prohibited.〔Peter Clayworth. 'Prisons - Developing a national prison system, 1880–1949', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 29-Jul-13 URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/prisons/page-3〕 In 1909 (and coincidentally, upon Captain Hume’s retirement), prison reform was sought. The Crimes Amendment Act 1910 saw teachers appointed to the prisons, allowed for small wages to be paid to prisoners, and allowed for prisoners to be released on probation.〔Crimes Amendment Act 1910.〕 From 1949 to 1960, Sam Barnett, the Secretary of Justice, was in charge of the prison system. Under Barnetts’ administration, extensive reforms took place. This included greater rations, improved education and library resources, appointment of prison psychologists and improved recreation and welfare services.〔Peter Clayworth. 'Prisons - Developing a national prison system, 1880–1949', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 29-Jul-13 URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/prisons/page-3〕 Periodic detention was also introduced, which allowed for supervised community work. From the 1950s prison populations rapidly increased, in line with the increasing crime rate.〔Peter Clayworth. 'Prisons - Prisons in a changing society, 1949–1990', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 13-Jul-12 URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/prisons/page-4〕 Today the Corrections Act 2004 provides the legislative framework for the administration of the prison system.〔Corrections Act 2004, s 5.〕 Today there is a wider range of sentences available, including (but not limited to) community work, supervision, community detention, home detention and imprisonment.〔(Sentencing Amendment Act 2007 (2007 No 27), S 10A. )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Prisoners' rights in New Zealand」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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