CAT/OP/NZL/1/Add.1 25. Corrections’ security classification system was designed to ensure that sentenced prisoners are managed appropriately for their risk profile. It takes account of a range of factors, including previous escape attempts and incidents involving violence, in order to minimise risk. Corrections recognise that classification systems need to be regularly reviewed in order to ensure that no unnecessary limitations are being placed on prisoners’ access to rehabilitation programmes, education and employment opportunities. In 2013, adjustments were made to give under 25 year-old prisoners more opportunities to work outside prisons, without compromising public safety. Corrections is now reviewing the whole security classification system so that front line staff are better able to tailor management approaches to the needs and risks presented by individual prisoners. The review will also ensure that decisions regarding classification are transparent to prisoners. 26. Corrections are also piloting a remand management tool, which is intended to provide a more detailed assessment of individual remandees’ risk profile. It is expected that this will lead to more remand prisoners being treated as low security, enabling them greater access to education, training and rehabilitation. The tool will be rolled out nationally later this year. In the meantime, programmes designed specifically for remand prisoners have been introduced and expanded. These include alcohol and other drug treatment, education assessments, language, literacy and numeracy programmes and short motivational programmes. Parole 27. The Subcommittee recommended eliminating all barriers to parole. All prisoners who are sentenced to two or more years of imprisonment are entitled to a parole hearing at their parole eligibility date and, if parole is denied, within 12 months of their last hearing. Access to the parole board is not dependent on prisoners having completed rehabilitation programmes or any other activity. Corrections recognise, however, that the parole board considers how much progress prisoners have made in their rehabilitation when it is making decisions about release. A considerable amount of work is underway to expand the range of programmes available to prisoners as early as possible. For example, Corrections has committed to ensuring that all offenders who need drug and alcohol treatment have access to it. 28. A Parole Amendment Bill has been introduced to Parliament. The proposed legislation is intended to give the parole board the ability to align future hearings with the completion of milestones designed to reduce an offender’s risk of re-offending. It will also enable the parole board to bring parole hearings forward where these milestones are achieved earlier than expected. This is expected to strengthen the link between the rehabilitation activities of prisoners and the expectations of the parole board. Gazetted jails 29. The Subcommittee asked New Zealand to consider alternatives to the use of the police stations as jails until they are renovated prioritise the renovations of police stations gazetted as jails and ensure that there are appropriate means of segregating detainees when new facilities are built or existing facilities renovated. 30. Gazetted police cells are used to ensure prisoners travelling long distances between court and prison are transported humanely. Sometimes the distance between the court and the prison can be considerably lengthy, requiring breaks or overnight stops. Women prisoners in particular use gazetted police cells for breaks or overnight stops as there are only three women prisons in New Zealand. Gazetted police cells are also used when there are not enough places in individual prisons to house prisoners with specific needs or, in the unusual event when Corrections may not have the capacity to house a remand prisoner. As 7