Prisons pitch in for Christchurch

Inmates at the three Canterbury prisons have been put to work helping the people of Christchurch following the 22 February earthquake, Corrections Minister Judith Collins said.

Since the earthquake prisoners from Christchurch Men’s Prison, Christchurch Women’s Prison and Rolleston Prison have assembled thousands of emergency packs of food and other necessities for Christchurch residents.

Low-risk offenders on community work have also been clearing streets and helping schools get up and running.

“We have hundreds of prisoners repaying their debt to society in Canterbury. What better way to repay some of that debt than to pitch in and help this community in its time of greatest need,” Ms Collins said.

Prisoners have put together 5,000 ration packs, prison kitchens have prepared 350 heat-and-eat meals, and 500 packs of fresh vegetables have been harvested from the prisons’ organic vegetable gardens.

Around 5000 sanitation packs have been assembled by prisoners and provided to welfare agencies for distribution to those in need.

The Corrections Department has also provided a shipping container of surplus supplies to Civil Defence. The supplies include 30,000 bottles of hand wash, 185,000 antibacterial wipes, and a number of water containers.

Low-risk offenders have also helped tidy up local marae and assisted in the relocation of some of the City Mission’s services.

This weekend, prisoners will be making 2,000 lunches for the Farmy Army and Student Volunteer Army. Department vehicles will also be used to help transport Student Army volunteers.

“This would not have been possible without the hard work of hundreds of Corrections staff under difficult circumstances,” Ms Collins said.

“They have ensured the smooth running of our prisons and Community Probation Centres despite many staff having suffered damage or loss in the quake. I would like to acknowledge their tremendous professionalism and commitment.”