New Zealand First is promising to fund more prisoner rehabilitation programmes if re-elected.
Leader Winston Peters said his party had long supported training programmes to build and improve the skills of prisoners to help them rejoin society.
"We have supported the Howard League's prison drivers programme, adult literacy classes and the Greyhound Great Mates Prison Programme.
''If elected, we pledge to work with Corrections, and fund more of these and similar programmes across the country," Peters said.
New Zealand First Party leader Winston Peters makes an election promise in Gore on 8 September, 2020. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Training programmes decreased reoffending rates and kept people from returning to prison upon their release, he said.
New Zealand First would work with penal reform advocates to provide funding and support new and existing programmes.
Peters made the announcement in Gore, as his Back Your Future bus tour was travelling across the Southland electorate today.