***It seems the scheme is verging on making a nonsense of what a prison sentence means

A parole system under which prisoners can leave New Zealand Jails to go to work and spend weekends with their families is being reviewed following protests over the release of "white-collar" criminals.

Parole privileges for some of the prisoners have been withdrawn while the review is taking place.

The protests followed news that a businessman Jailed for two years for a widely-publicised million-dollar fraud had been freed on work parole less than eight weeks after being sentenced in Wellington's High Court

Less than 15 weeks into his prison term he was spending the weekend relaxing with his family.

The businessman, Robert Philpott, had been described by chief Justice Sir Thomas Eichelbaum as a liar and a cheat responsible for an "elaborate web of deceit."

Chief Justice Eichelbaum, who rarely comments publicly on Individual cases, sad he was surprised at the early work parole granted and had not envisaged it when he passed

sentence on Mr. Philpott.

Under his parole conditions. Mr. Philpott caught a 7:45 am bus to work from prison, worked from 8:30 am to 6 pm and was returned to jail by his employer. He was not allowed to leave work without his employer's permission, could not drink alcohol, and could not incur debts.

He was freed again at 7 pm on Friday nights and required

to report back to prison at 7:30 pm on Sundays. But a newspaper reported Mr. Philpott had taken a three-hour lunch break, been seen. Leaving work at 4:30 pm and picking up his child from school.

The prison superintendent said he approved Mr. Philpott's early work parole because he was a non-violent offender and in a position to contribute to his prison expenses. Thirty per cent of his wages had to be paid in "rent" to the prison.

But the Dominion newspaper said in an editorial that

many ordinary New Zealanders had seen their life savings disappear through the hands of crooked businessmen in the 1987 sharemarket crash and there was a feeling that white collar criminals remained beyond the grasp of Justice.

The Philpott case was one of the few to reassure a sceptical public that such

offenders would be broughl to Justice and dealt with as severely as petty thieves and common thugs." the newspaper said. "But his subsequent treatment has severely eroded both the deterrent value of his sentence and the faith it engendered among ordinary people that Justice is impartial."

The protests brought a quick response from Justice Minister Douglas Graham who said there was evidence Mr. Philpott's parole conditions liad been abused. Announcing he was withdrawing work and

home-leave privileges, he said they had been given too early tn the sentence.

"For somebody who has been convicted of a serious crime of fraud. 1 think two months Is too early." he said.

The Justice minister said he was already considering changes to the parole system

and Indicated he was looking at tougher rules for home leave and the amount of lime a prisoner must serve before being eligible for work and home leave.

Mr. Graham said 76 out of 4.000 inmates in New Zealand prisons were on work parole which was a "constructive option at the appropriate time." he said "Just locking people up is not a very good deterrent."

Prison superintendent Kelvin Nolly defended his decision to grant work and

weekend parole to Mr. Philpott. This sort of system has been running for quite a number of years and It's unfortunate a high-profile offender has led to criticism of it." he said.

"Work release is very, very successful In a great number of cases and It stops a lot of reoffending, which Is what the objective Is."

The main purpose of pris-

ons. he said, was to rehabilitate and keep people In humane conditions. "It's my responsibility to try and get these guys back in the community, not as criminals but better citizens." Mr. Nolly said.

Mr. Philpott had broken down and cried when told his parole had been revoked, the superintendent added.

Soon after news of Mr. Philpott's parole broke there wcrc press reports that another Willington Prison

inmate, lawyer Clive Kerr, serving term for theft and fraud crimes involving NZS300. (US6198.000). had been seen attending a party with his wife at a hotel in another city while on weekend parole. Like Mr. Philpott, he has also been on work parole.

Victoria University criminologist Dr. Warren Young said these cases raised questions about the direction the parole scheme was taking.

initially intended to allow inmates near the end of their sentences to get work skills and ease their transition into the community, the scheme had later been extended.

*1 must say that 1 have some concerns about the scheme if it effectively means that somebody two months into a two-year sentence is only spending five nights a week In prison." Dr. Young said.

"It seems to me that this is verging on making a nonsense of what a prison sentence means."

— Depthnews Asia