There's a call for Corrections to go further than just toughening up the bracelets used for electronically monitored bail.

Thomas Shortcliffe is the latest to go on the run, after assaulting a security guard on Saturday night, then cutting off his monitoring bracelet.

There are 19 such people on the loose.

Labour leader Andrew Little said the number of problems suggests there's a problem with the people being put up for electronic monitoring in the first place.

"You don't put your most violent people on it, you don't put those who are most prone to looking for ways to escape on it.

"You put those who've shown some contrition and acceptance" on the monitoring programme, he said.

Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga wants Corrections to investigate whether sturdier monitoring bracelets are available.

He says no anklet would be indestructible, but admits he's concerned by the number of offenders who've recently cut them off.

Criminologist Greg Newbold is backing the move, but said there's no need for a wider review of monitoring conditions.

"If there was a whole lot of people buggering off, yeah, sure. They would need to look at it again. But there's only a few taking off.

"In any Corrections system, you're not dealing with angels here. There's going to be a few that will take advantage of the situation and violate their conditions."