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Honey produced by bees in hives at Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison is feeding families in the Hastings area, Corrections Minister Judith Collins says. 

Almost 38 kg of honey was extracted from the hives in the Young Offenders Unit when the first extraction of the season took place recently. 

“This is a terrific example of giving back to the community.  Prisoners are learning real life employment skills and gaining a qualification that will help them on release.  

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has today visited Upper Hutt Community Corrections to view safety and security enhancements designed to keep frontline Corrections staff safe while doing their job.

“Safety and security features were demonstrated at Upper Hutt Community Corrections, which had a $4.68 million refurbishment last year that included upgrading the site’s security and technology.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has today attended the launch of a new initiative; Seedlings, Grow, Cook and Eat that will see prisoners in self-care units growing their own seasonal vegetables and using them to cook basic nutritious meals at Spring Hill Corrections Facility.

Corrections is to receive $8 million from Serco to cover the costs of Corrections Stepping-In last July to manage Mt Eden Corrections Facility, as well as settling performance notices, Corrections Minister Judith Collins says.

“An agreement with Serco has also been reached that effectively narrows down the contractual arrangements with Serco to a labour supply agreement with other transition services for the balance of the contract through to 31 March 2017,” Ms Collins says.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins today recognised the importance of the Howard League’s Literacy programme in Hawke's Bay Regional Prison.

Speaking at the graduation of three prisoners from the programme, Ms Collins expressed the significance of being able to read and write.

“Nearly 65 per cent of the men and women in prison are below NCEA level one literacy and numeracy. Without basic literacy and numeracy skills, prisoners are limited in their ability to gain qualifications and secure employment.

The Department of Corrections’ new Timaru Community Corrections site was officially opened today, said Corrections Minister Judith Collins.

“The new site redevelopment, which cost $2.4 million, is part of a $70 million nationwide renewal programme to make Community Corrections sites more secure and better equipped to support offenders to turn their lives around.

“The new site will enable Corrections to provide more rehabilitation and educational programmes and it offers improved security and working conditions for staff.

A new process for Corrections to notify Child Youth and Family about released prisoners who may pose a risk to children has begun, Corrections Minister Judith Collins announced today.

“In January it was revealed that Corrections did not have an automatic procedure for advising Child, Youth and Family when a convicted child abuser is released from prison. This has now been rectified.

The number of prisoners testing positive in random drug tests has reached an all-time low, Corrections Minister Judith Collins announced today.

“For the year ended 31 December 2015 there were more than 4500 general random drug tests on prisoners. The rate of positive results was 3.1 percent. In comparison, the rate of positive results in 2009/10 was 10 per cent and in 2000/2001 it was 22 percent.

More than 6,000 referrals have been made to an innovative post-release support programme for short- serving prisoners and remandees, Corrections Minister Judith Collins says.

The reintegration programme, called Out of Gate, commenced in 2013 with $10 million from the Justice Sector fund. Due to promising early results, Corrections was granted another $5 million from the Justice Sector Fund in Budget 2015 to extend the programme. Corrections contracts with providers to support offenders immediately upon their release from prison.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins announced today that a further $100,000 would be given to PARS to assist New Zealand offenders returning from Australia.

“PARS Incorporated (formerly known as the Prisoners’ Aid and Rehabilitation Society has provided practical support to more than 100 returning offenders so far.

“Another $100,000 will enable PARS to support more returning offenders to reintegrate and help them to live crime-free.

A growing number of offenders are taking part in a programme which aims to curb their repeat drink driving behaviour, says Corrections Minister Judith Collins.

Corrections is running a pilot programme to fund alcohol interlock devices for eligible offenders on community sentences. The devices are connected to the start-up mechanism of a car and immobilise it. It is not possible to start the car until the driver has successfully passed a breath alcohol test.

“This makes our roads safer for both the community and for the driver.”

Corrections Minister Judith Collins presented the Minister’s Excellence Award to two newly graduated Corrections Officers today.

Ms Collins established the Minister’s Excellence Award in 2009 during her previous term as Minister of Corrections to recognise newly graduated Corrections Officers who have shown qualities of leadership, professionalism and all-round excellence.

The Minister attended the Corrections Officer Development Pathway graduation at Corrections’ National Office today, where 24 new officers graduated.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has announced the government will provide additional funding of $17.6 million to the Department of Corrections.

“The funding will address cost pressures from the greater than expected prison population growth and enhancements to electronic monitoring,” Ms Collins says.

“Despite significant progress in reducing crime and improving public safety, the number of prisoners has been increasing at a rate consistently above forecasts.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga hosted a breakfast today for more than 80 employers in a bid to help find jobs for offenders and reduce reoffending.

The employer engagement breakfast in Auckland, which was also attended by Prime Minister John Key, gave some of New Zealand’s biggest employers the chance to hear about the work Corrections is doing to provide offenders with job skills.

Employers who are already onboard with the programme also shared their experiences of hiring offenders.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry today signed an agreement which will see offenders engaged in conservation work and learning new skills at the same time.

Under the Good to Grow partnership between Corrections and the Department of Conservation (DOC), offenders on community sentences will help look after DOC sites, upgrade and maintain tracks and help to win the War on Weeds across the country.

Corrections is piloting a new programme aimed at stopping repeat drink-drive offending, says Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga.

Corrections has obtained Justice Sector funding for the pilot programme in which it will fund alcohol interlock devices which immobilise a vehicle if alcohol is detected on the breath of the driver.

“This funding will help offenders keep to their sentences. It means offenders will not be able to drive their vehicle unless they can successfully pass a breath alcohol test,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today officially opened the new Community Corrections site in Palmerston North.

The new building is part of a $70 million nationwide renewal programme to make Community Corrections sites more secure and better equipped to support offenders to turn their lives around.

A record high number of offenders serving community sentences have enrolled in Corrections-funded work and living skills interventions.

In the last financial year the number of offenders throughout the country enrolled in work and living skills interventions (WLS) interventions increased to 5152.

In the 2014 financial year the number was about 600.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has today opened a new wing at Rimutaka Prison’s High Dependency Unit to care for more ageing prisoners.

The new wing has 10 beds, taking the total number of beds at the unit to 30. 

A walkway with a ramp for wheelchair and walker access links the new wing to the original unit.

The unit was established in 2012 to meet the needs of prisoners with ongoing and complex health or disability needs.  It is the only one of its kind in New Zealand.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has launched new programmes to improve the literacy and numeracy of prisoners.

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Methodist Mission Southern have been contracted by Corrections to deliver the intensive literacy and numeracy programmes in all Corrections-run prisons, giving priority to learners with the highest educational needs.

Whanganui Prison’s refurbished west wing has been officially opened today as part of a more than $19 million upgrade of prisoner accommodation at the site, says Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga.

The prison’s east and west wings, with a total of 141 beds, have been earthquake-strengthened and enhancements made to meet security classification requirements, and improve staff bases and prisoner areas.  

The upgrades were done one wing at a time, starting with the east wing in April last year.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today officially opened the new Rotorua Community Corrections site.

The $1.37 million rebuild of the site 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.

Fewer prisoners are testing positive for drugs and more of them are taking part in drug and alcohol treatment programmes, says Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga.

During the 2014/15 year there were about 4500 general random drug tests on prisoners. The rate of positive results was 3.7 per cent. In comparison, the rate of positive results in 2008/09 was 11 per cent.

“Reducing the demand for and availability of drugs in prisons creates a safer environment for staff and better rehabilitation outcomes for prisoners,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today officially launched the construction of a new maximum-security facility at Auckland Prison.

The facility will provide a safer environment for staff, prisoners and visitors and help in the rehabilitation of offenders, Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

The existing maximum-security building dates back to 1968 and is New Zealand’s only such facility.  As well as accommodating all New Zealand’s maximum-security prisoners, it also houses all prisoners from the northern region with high needs and challenging behaviour.