Corrections Minister Judith Collins has welcomed 27 new Corrections Officers who graduated today.

The new staff will be based at Northland Region Corrections Facility, Mt Eden Corrections Facility, Spring Hill Corrections Facility, Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison, Manawatu Prison, Arohata Prison, Rimutaka Prison, Christchurch Men’s Prison, and Otago Corrections Facility.

A former army officer’s exceptional leadership and people skills saw her awarded the Minister’s Excellence Award.

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley and Corrections Minister Judith Collins have announced the launch of the second stage of a new $15.3 million initiative to help offenders prepare for, find and stay in employment and reduce reoffending.

The Salvation Army and Workwise will work with the offenders from ten weeks before until twelve months after their release to give them the support they need to develop the necessary skills to find and maintain a job, while also increasing support for employers to take on offenders.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has congratulated seven prisoners and two prisoner peer mentors who graduated from the Howard League Literacy programme at Kohuora Auckland South Corrections Facility today.

Ms Collins presented the graduates with certificates, marking their achievement in completing the 12 week literacy course. She congratulated the men for taking an important step to living a better life when they leave prison.

The Government has approved the procurement of a 1,500 bed facility at Waikeria Prison that will be designed, built, financed and maintained under a Public Private Partnership (PPP), Corrections Minister Judith Collins announced today.

“Last month I advised that the Government had approved plans to increase prison capacity on existing prison sites.  At that time approval in principal was given to a new facility at Waikeria Prison.  I am pleased to advise that the Government has now approved the detailed business case for the new facility.”

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has welcomed a new law that makes it simpler to hold offenders and bailees to account when they are subject to conditions prohibiting the use of drugs and alcohol.

The Drug and Alcohol Testing of Community-based Offenders, Bailees and Other Persons Legislation Bill passed its third reading today.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has welcomed 19 new Corrections Officers who graduated today.

The new staff will be based at Northland Region Corrections Facility, Mt Eden Corrections Facility, Waikeria Prison, Spring Hill Corrections Facility, Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison, Manawatu Prison, Arohata Prison, Rimutaka Prison, and Christchurch Men’s Prison.

Jeff Petrie, who will work at Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison, was presented with the Minister’s Excellence Award.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins today acknowledged seven staff who have helped to assist and develop Corrections services in the Pacific Islands over the last ten years.

Today’s ceremony in Christchurch followed the ceremony in Wellington last month in which Ms Collins awarded Pacific Pins to the first batch of 17 staff who had been posted to Pitcairn Island, Vanuatu and Samoa.

The Government has approved plans to increase prison capacity on existing prison sites by approximately 1800 beds, Corrections Minister Judith Collins says.

Despite significant progress in reducing crime the number of prisoners has increased faster than projected. This is because the proportion of offenders charged with serious crimes has risen, meaning more people are being remanded in custody and serving more of their sentences in prison.

Corrections will receive $2.5 million from the Justice Sector Fund to help offenders into stable employment.

The ‘This Way for Work’ initiative, is a two year pilot programme, and includes a new in-house recruitment function and the provision of Employer Starter Packs. The programme will complement the $15.3 million initiative to improve the employment prospects of released prisons announced by the Social Development and Corrections Ministers earlier this month.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has commended the Department for the work it is undertaking with the victims of crime.

Corrections is taking a  more proactive communication approach with registered victims. The new approach is intended to make things easier for victims to understand, to educate them on the processes they may not be aware of and the way the system works.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has welcomed the release of the Chief Inspector of Corrections inquiry into ‘fight clubs’ and contraband in the Mount Eden Corrections Facility (MECF).

“The inquiry was very thorough and made a number of findings which were critical of Serco’s operation of MECF. The inquiry also found that the Department did not meet its monitoring obligations.

“The Chief Inspector made 21 recommendations for improvement and all of these recommendations are either completed or in progress.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has welcomed 29 new Corrections Officers and Offender Employment Instructors who graduated today.

The new staff will be based at Auckland Prison, Mt Eden Corrections Facility, Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility, Waikeria Prison, Spring Hill Corrections Facility, Hawkes Bay Regional Prison, Whanganui Prison, Manawatu Prison, Arohata Prison, Rimutaka Prison, and Christchurch Men’s Prison.

Amy Rainford, who will work at Whanganui Prison, was presented with the Minister’s Excellence Award.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins visited Christchurch Women’s Prison today to celebrate the five year anniversary of the expanded use of Mothers with Babies Units.

Since September 2011, and following the passing of the Corrections (Mothers with Babies) Amendment Act in 2008, mothers with babies have been able to keep their baby with them in prison until they are two years old. Up until then, mothers were only able to keep their baby with them until they were nine months old.

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley and Corrections Minister Judith Collins have announced the launch of a new initiative to support more offenders into employment.

Budget 2016 invested $15.3 million over three years for the trial, which is targeted at increasing the employment prospects of released prisoners.

Work and Income case managers and professionals will work with prisoners from pre-release for up to a year to help them prepare, find and stay in employment to help reduce reoffending.

Minister of Police and Corrections Judith Collins has congratulated Senior Constable Blair Spalding and his dog Rush on winning the National Police Patrol Dog Championship.

“The competition was stiff but Blair and Rush have taken the Frank Riley Cup as National Patrol Dog champions and I offer them my most heartfelt congratulations,” says Minister Collins.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins today officially opened the upgraded Masterton Community Corrections site in Albert Street, Masterton.

The upgrade of the Masterton site is part of a five-year nation-wide renewal programme to make Community Corrections’ more secure for both staff and offenders.

The enhancements to the Masterton site include improved security features such as, closed circuit TV monitoring, a main door which locks remotely, glazed interview rooms, duress alarms and swipe card access to staff-only areas.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has welcomed the passing of an electronic monitoring bill which is designed to further protect and improve the safety of victims and the public.

The Electronic Monitoring of Offenders Legislation Bill has had its third and final reading in Parliament.

The Bill amends the Corrections Act 2004, the Sentencing Act 2002, and the Parole Act 2002 to:

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has congratulated 68 Corrections Officers and Offender Employment Instructors who graduated today.

“We have people of all ages, stages of life, nationalities and cultures in this group. Whether you are just starting your working life, or bringing valuable life skills and cultural awareness to your new profession, each of these recruits will play an essential role in changing lives and shaping the futures of prisoners.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins today acknowledged the work of 17 staff who have undertaken an overseas deployment in the last decade to assist and strengthen the corrections services of islands in the Pacific.

Over the last ten years Corrections has sent delegations to three Pacific Islands: Vanuatu, Samoa and Pitcairn. At a celebration at Corrections National Office today, Ms Collins recognised the efforts of the first batch of recipients with the presentation of a Pacific Pin, known as the Hoe Akau.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins says offenders throughout the country can take satisfaction from the part they’ve played in conserving New Zealand’s natural beauty and helping their community.

This week is Conservation Week (September 10-18) and is a chance to reflect on the good work created by a partnership between Corrections and the Department of Conservation, signed in November last year.  

“The Good to Grow collaboration has been an outstanding success for both departments,” says Ms Collins.

Corrections has introduced changes to better support women prisoners at risk of family violence when they leave prison, says Corrections Minister Judith Collins.

Most women prisoners are, or have been, victims of family violence, which may be intergenerational and an entrenched part of their lives.

Corrections aims to identify women at risk of family violence early in their prison sentences so safety planning and appropriate support can be organised.

The Request for Proposals process is now underway for the provision of improved mental health services to offenders, says Corrections Minister Judith Collins.

This follows the allocation of $14 million from the Justice Sector Fund in June 2016 for Corrections to purchase mental health services for offenders in prison and in the community over the next two years.

Around 240 people have dined on meals prepared and served by prisoners at Rimutaka Prison as part of the Prison Gate to Plate dining experience, says Corrections Minister Judith Collins.

This is the fourth year the prison has taken part in Visa Wellington on a Plate and the tickets to the 2016 event sold out in three minutes.

Under the guidance of celebrated chef Martin Bosley, guest chefs Chetan Pangam and Amy Gillies, and catering instructors, the prisoners have been taught to prepare and present gourmet courses to the public.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has this evening presented the New Zealand Howard League for Penal Reform with Corrections’ 2016 Partnership Award.

The Howard League has been supporting prisoners for more than 90 years and this award recognises the ongoing success of the League’s literacy and driver licensing programmes.

“Corrections and the Howard League work closely and effectively together,” says Ms Collins.