This report presents the findings of an evaluation of EM bail (electronic monitoring of defendants on pre-trial bail). The report was prepared by Duncan Consulting Services Ltd under contract to New Zealand Police.
The focus of the evaluation was EM bail processes operated by NZP. Key evaluative questions were: Are these processes operating as intended? Is NZP's supporting infrastructure for EM bail adequate? And how could EM bail processes operate more effectively?
Key Results
Interviews and other sources of information indicate that, in general, EM bail processes operated by NZP are functioning as intended and that NZP's supporting infrastructure for EM bail is adequate. In particular:
• EM Bail Assessors (EMBA) and other NZP employees follow relevant EM bail processes using tools provided as part of official guidance material
• Steps have been taken to correct initial difficulties with the operation of assessment and monitoring procedures
• Training and recruitment of EMBAs is good and supporting instructional/guidance material regarding EM bail is comprehensive • NZP resources for EM bail (e.g. the number of EMBAs) are sufficient for current application volumes.
Less positive findings are that:
• In the case of at least some EMBAs, expectations regarding their day-to-day management are not being met. A cause may be confusion about the role of HQ staff
• Turnover of EMBAs has been high, perhaps because of limited application volumes in the early months of EM bail and, perhaps related to this, concerns about job security
• At the time of interviews, dissemination of information about EM bail had had limited success.