Prisoners deserve privacy, too

Privacy Commissioner says Corrections has to balance the rights of a prisoner on parole with those of the community

24 June 2003
The Privacy Commissioner says the Corrections Department has to balance the rights of the prisoner with the rights of the community on a case by case basis.

Some Pukerua Bay residents say they should have been told 44-year-old convicted serial rapist Michael Carroll had been released into their community on parole.

Commissioner Bruce Slane says anyone can make an Official Information Act request about a prisoner but it is up to Corrections to decide if the community's right to information overrides those of the prisoner.

Meanwhile the Probation Service is backing a Parole Board comment that undue attention given to offenders released on parole could affect their re-integration into society.

There has been very strong media interest in Carroll's release .

A Parole Board statement suggests the media exposure could affect efforts to rehabilitate him.

Probation Service head, Katrina Casey agrees and says it could even cause an offender to breach their parole conditions.

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