A good decision

We are quick to criticise the Parole Board when its members make what we perceive to be bad decisions. So the decent thing to do is to recognise the Board when it gets one right.

Stuff carries the story this morning of New Zealand's longest-serving prisoner, Alf Vincent. Vincent, a 71 year-old recidivist child sex offender has been behind bars since 1968 when he was sentenced to preventative detention. The story says:

Last week, the Parole Board released its decision to postpone his next parole hearing for two years, meaning he could not seek freedom until 2011.

To date, Vincent has been incarcerated for almost 43 years, spending two-and-a-half years in prison on two separate child indecency charges before his preventive detention sentence was imposed in September 1968. He was one of the country's first preventive detainees. At today's cost of about $90,000 a year, his jail time has cost taxpayers about $3.9 million in 2009 dollars.

The only time Vincent spent outside jail over the past four decades was in the early 1980s, when he was given day passes to work in the community and also had weekend leaves over a few months, when he stayed with his father. However, all his leave was revoked in October 1984 when he was charged with preparing to commit a crime in a public place after he was seen talking with some young boys in a park and one put his arm around Vincent during one weekend leave.

The board said in its most recent decision Vincent was said to be "generally polite and compliant' in jail but continued to display inappropriate sexual behaviour. "He is working to reduce this and to develop respectful interactions with staff and fellow inmates. They are also continuing to work on a long term reintegration plan."

Vincent has lived in Rolleston Prison, near Christchurch, for almost all his incarceration. He has sought parole - and been declined - every year for the past 34 years. The board said Vincent enjoyed working in his prison unit's nursery and had acquired a considerable knowledge of plants and gardening methods. "He is content with his life. Realistically however, release is a long way off. Mr Vincent accepts that. At this stage, transfer to self care is not supported."

We don't hear a lot about the Alf Vincents of the prison system. But in this case, the Parole Board's decision is absolutely correct in our considered opinion. Vincent is highly likely to reoffend, and the community needs protection from him and his likes.