The Parole Board says the Department of Corrections is making inmates wait years for rehab programmes and psychological help.
The situation is so serious that the board's chair, Sir Ron Young, wrote to Minister Kelvin Davis in January warning that prisoners don't stand a chance at their first attempt at parole.
Both Corrections and the minister say inmates aren't always ready for treatment during the early part of their sentence.
Reporter Charlotte Cook had more details about Sir Ron's concerns.
