All Corrections-run prisons are now either working prisons or well on their way to reaching that status, with the aim of helping prisoners lead crime-free lives on release.

In working prisons, all eligible prisoners are engaged in industry, learning and/or rehabilitation activities for 40 hours a week.

“Working prisons help prisoners develop skills, experience and behaviour that will help them to find jobs and stability following release,” says Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga.

Justice Minister Amy Adams and Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga have responded to the independent inquiry into matters surrounding the escape of Phillip Smith/Traynor.

The inquiry noted that while Mr Smith’s escape did not indicate fundamental problems with the overall system, it did find there were shortcomings in various agencies’ systems and processes.

The Government accepts, or accepts in principle, 34 of the 39 recommendations. The remaining five recommendations raise wider issues which the Government will consider as part of this work.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga say prisoners are making furniture for Northland families to create healthier homes, and at the same time are learning new work skills.

Corrections will spend $8.63 million over three years to develop and deliver a drug and alcohol post-release programme to help offenders break their addictions and reduce reoffending, Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has announced.

“Drug and alcohol abuse is a major driver of crime. Two-thirds of prisoners have substance abuse problems and more than half of crimes are committed by people under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Often this is a major factor in their reoffending,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today officially opened the refurbished Whanganui Community Corrections site.

The $2.7 million refurbishment is part of a five-year nationwide renewal programme to make Community Corrections sites more secure and better equipped to support offenders to turn their lives around.

“If we are to reach our goal of reducing reoffending by 25 per cent by 2017, Corrections needs to create the best possible environment for offenders to make the changes in their lives that will allow them to live crime-free,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today attended the launch of Secure Online Learning for prisoners at Rimutaka Prison.

Secure Online Learning (SOL) will be implemented nationwide after a successful six-month pilot with young prisoners at Christchurch Men’s Prison.

It allows carefully selected prisoners to securely access 12 educational websites. No other websites are available to them.

SOL will replace paper based-assessment and learning processes which are prone to inaccuracies.

Justice Minister Amy Adams and Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga have today released the draft Terms of Reference for the Government Inquiry into the handling of the Tony Robertson case.

The draft Terms of Reference focus on:

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has announced that an independent review will be carried out of Corrections’ monitoring of Tony Robertson following his release from prison in 2013.

“I have decided the family of Blessie Gotingco and the public need some independent assurance about Corrections’ part in the handling of the Robertson case,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says he supports Corrections’ decision to take over the management of Mt Eden Corrections Facility.  

“The safety and security of staff and prisoners is paramount,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

“Following a new allegation yesterday, I am pleased that Corrections chief executive Ray Smith has made the decision that Corrections will take over the running of the facility for the immediate future. 

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga was this afternoon advised of fresh allegations involving Mt Eden Corrections Facility.

These allegations have been outlined in a media statement from the Department of Corrections.

“I expect to receive advice from Corrections Chief Executive Ray Smith about the options available to address the situation,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

“I will not be making any further comment until I have received and considered this advice.” 

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today made it clear to Serco managers that he expects safety and security at Mt Eden Corrections Facility to be a top priority.

Mr Lotu-Iiga met Serco's director of operations Scott McNairn and managing director Paul Mahoney today to discuss recent incidents and allegations at Mt Eden Prison. 

“I have made my concerns clear to both Serco and the Department of Corrections, and have laid out my expectations going forward,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga and his Australian state and territory counterparts have agreed to develop better processes for sharing Corrections information across borders about deported offenders.

The issue of deported offenders was discussed at the recent Corrective Services Ministers conference held in Darwin.

Over the last few days, video footage has emerged which apparently shows prisoners at Mt Eden Corrections Facility fighting and engaging in other activities that are banned inside New Zealand prison facilities.

An internal investigation into these events is being carried out by Serco, which runs the remand facility.  Police have also been advised and may conduct their own investigation.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga will meet his Australian state counterparts this week to discuss how current policies and practices are working in the Australasian prison system.

Mr Lotu-Iiga will attend the three-day Corrective Services Ministers conference in Darwin from today.

He will join state Corrections and Justice ministers to discuss how policies and practices such as working prisons and vocational and education training are creating positive change in prisons in both countries.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga will visit a Samoan prison today to see first-hand how New Zealand Corrections staff are working to help create an independent and effective prison service in the Pacific nation.

New Zealand Corrections staff have been training and working alongside their Samoan counterparts in local prisons since its government decided in January this year to separate its police and prison services.

The new structure will mean the services will have separate reporting lines but will continue to share a minister.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today officially opened the refurbished North Shore Community Corrections site in Glenfield.

The refurbishment of the site is part of a five-year nationwide programme to make Community Corrections sites more secure and better equipped to help offenders turn their lives around.

Mr Lotu-Iiga says the improvements to the North Shore site will benefit staff, visitors and community-based offenders who report there.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today helped celebrate the return of 8500ha of Crown land to Ngāti Tūwharetoa.

Some of the land on the Tongariro/Rangipō Prison site will continue to be used by Corrections to help rehabilitate prisoners.  This includes about 700ha for a training farm for prisoners to hone their farming skills, giving them real work opportunities on release.

The sale of the land to Ngāti Tūwharetoa was finalised today at a ceremony at Rongomai Marae near Taupō.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today officially opened the refurbished Taupō Community Corrections site.

Mr Lotu-Iiga says the improvements will benefit staff, visitors and community-based offenders who report there.

One of the key features of the refurbishment is the reception counter which has anti-climb features and is overlooked by staff in the open plan work area for increased visibility and security. 

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today officially opened the refurbished Te Awamutu Community Corrections site.

Mr Lotu-Iiga says the improvements will benefit staff, visitors and the community-based offenders who report there.

One of the key features of the refurbishment is the reception counter which has anti-climb features and is overlooked by staff in an open plan work area for increased visibility and security.

On-body cameras for frontline Corrections staff are being rolled out at the same time as new lightweight stab-resistant body armour, Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has announced.

The body armour is designed to have the camera mounted on it.

The introduction of 1000 on-body cameras across all prisons, beginning in Arohata Prison near Wellington, follows successful trials in two prisons last year. Results suggest the cameras reduced disruptive incidents by 15-20 per cent compared with the year before.

A house built by prisoners has been handed over to a family in need in Northland.

A bill that will improve the safety of victims and the public has had its first reading in Parliament.

The Electronic Monitoring of Offenders Legislation Bill will now go to a select committee, says Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga.

“This bill recognises opportunities to better protect the public by giving courts the option of imposing electronic monitoring as a condition when sentencing some higher-risk offenders,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today officially opened the refurbished Upper Hutt Community Corrections site.

Mr Lotu-Iiga says the improvements will benefit staff, visitors and community-based offenders who report to the site.

One of the key features of the refurbishment is the reception counter that has anti-climb features and is overlooked by staff in an open plan work area for increased visibility and security.