Correctional facilities (prisons) in New Zealand (as at October 2010) are as follows:
Note: the Corrections Department also operates Community Probation Services centres in most cities and towns throughout New Zealand.
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Northland Region Corrections Facility is located 5 km northeast of the town of Kaikohe and is colloquially known as Ngawha - after the local area. The facility opened in 2005 and houses about 420 prisoners.
Auckland Prison, also known as Paremoremo, contains New Zealand's only specialist maximum-security prison unit. The prison opened in 1968, and it houses about 650 prisoners. Auckland Prison has a 60-bed treatment unit for sex offenders called Te Piriti and a Special Needs Unit for prisoners with complex mental health needs.
The Auckland Region Women's Corrections Facility opened in 2006 and was the first purpose-built women's prison in New Zealand. It houses about 330 prisoners and has a specialist unit for mothers with babies.
There has been a prison on the Mount Eden site in Auckland since 1856.
The prison holds about 420 prisoners and a major project to redevelop the site and create a combined facility with Auckland Central Remand Prison began in late 2008. New accommodation blocks and support facilities will be constructed to replace the old prison building. The historic building will be restored and converted for staff and administration use. The project is due to be complete by the end of 2012.
Mount Eden Prison has a 'category one' classification from the New Zealand Historic Places Trust due to its historical significance and architectural quality.
The New Zealand Government decided in May 2010 that the combined Mount Eden/Auckland Central Remand Prison will be managed by a private company. This is expected to happen in 2011.
Auckland Central Remand Prison opened in July 2000 and is the main reception prison for newly remanded male prisoners in the Auckland region.
The prison was specifically designed for remand prisoners. Remand prisoners are awaiting trial or sentencing so there is a high turnover of prisoners.
It is on the same site as Mount Eden Prison and a major project to redevelop the site and create a combined facility began in late 2008. The project is due to be complete by the end of 2012.
Auckland Central Remand Prison was the first prison in New Zealand to be administered by a private company, from 2000 until 2005 when it was returned to operation by the state. The New Zealand Government decided in May 2010 that contract management will once again be implemented at Auckland Central Remand Prison/Mt Eden. A company to take over management of the combined prison is expected to be announced in 2011.
Spring Hill Corrections Facility is in Te Kauwhata, north of Huntly. It opened in 2007 and was the last of four new facilities built as part of the Regional Prisons Development Project.
Spring Hill holds about 840 prisoners and the facility includes two specialist units. The prison has New Zealand's only Pacific Focus Unit, which provides an environment where prisoners of Pacific ethnicity are encouraged to address their offending behaviours. Spring Hill also has a combined drug treatment and special treatment unit called Puna Tatari.
In 2010, it was the scene of the manslaughter of Jason Palmer by Killabeez gang member Latu Savelio Halangingie Kepu, the first death of a New Zealand prison officer on active duty.
Waikeria Prison is located 16 kilometres south of Te Awamutu, in the Waikato region. The 1050 bed facility is on a 1200 hectare site. It is New Zealand's second largest prison in terms of population, holding nearly 1000 prisoners.
The prison includes several specialist units. It has one of the five Māori Focus Units in New Zealand prisons. The Māori Focus Units aim to bring about positive changes in offenders' thinking and behaviour through the practice of Māori values and disciplines, and specialist Māori programmes.
Waikeria also has a Drug Treatment Unit for prisoners with drug or alcohol problems, a Youth Unit for prisoners under 18 and a Special Treatment Unit for serious offenders with a high risk of reoffending.
Tongariro/Rangipo Prison is near Turangi. It is a low security prison and holds about 470 prisoners. It is on a large site of 8481.6 hectares. Around 4200 hectares of this land is forested and 2400 hectares is farmed. The remaining 1840 hectares are roads, river reserves, wetlands and native forest.
Tongariro/Rangipo has one of the five Māori Focus Units in New Zealand prisons. The Māori Focus Units aim to bring about positive changes in offenders' thinking and behaviour through the practice of Māori values and disciplines, and specialist Māori programmes.
New Plymouth Prison holds about 105 prisoners. It was originally built as an army hospital during the Taranaki War of 1860-1861. Later that decade it was designated a prison, and so is the oldest operational penal institution in New Zealand.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison, originally called Mangaroa, is located near Hastings and was opened in October 1989, replacing the old Napier prison, which closed in 1993.
It holds about 640 prisoners and has several specialist units.
Hawke's Bay Regional Prison has one of the five Māori Focus Units in New Zealand prisons. The Māori Focus Units aim to bring about positive changes in offenders' thinking and behaviour through the practice of Māori values and disciplines, and specialist Māori programmes.
It has a Drug Treatment Unit for prisoners with drug or alcohol problems and a Youth Unit for prisoners under 18.
Wanganui Prison, in Kaitoke, holds about 520 prisoners. The prison is made up of seven different complexes – Kaitoke, Te Moenga, Te Whakataa, Whanui, Southwood and two self-care units.
Wanganui Prison has one of the five Māori Focus Units in New Zealand prisons. The Māori Focus Units aim to bring about positive changes in offenders' thinking and behaviour through the practice of Māori values and disciplines, and specialist Māori programmes.
Manawatu Prison holds about 290 prisoners and is located at Linton, south of Palmerston North
The prison began as the Manawatu Youth Institution in 1979 for young sentenced male prisoners. It became Manawatu Prison in 1985.
Manawatu prison is split up into 4 different units. B Block for remand prisoners, and C block, TKW, and Alpha for sentenced prisoners. Alpha unit is also known as the faith based unit for prisoners showing commitment to reducing their re-offending.
Rimutaka Prison is in Upper Hutt, north of Wellington. It is New Zealand's largest prison, holding more than 1000 prisoners. Originally called Wi Tako, the prison opened in 1919.
Rimutaka Prison includes several specialist units. It has one of the five Māori Focus Units in New Zealand prisons. The Māori Focus Units aim to bring about positive changes in offenders' thinking and behaviour through the practice of Māori values and disciplines, and specialist Māori programmes.
Rimutaka also opened New Zealand's first container-cell unit in 2010. The unit is constructed from refurbished shipping containers and houses up to 60 prisoners in a mix of single and double-bunked cells.
Rimutaka Prison also has a Drug Treatment Unit for prisoners with drug or alcohol problems, a Faith-Based Unit which provides a programme for prisoners centred around the Christian faith and a 30-bed special treatment unit for violent prisoners called Te Whare Manaakitanga.
Arohata Prison is one of New Zealand's three women's prisons and is located near Tawa, north of Wellington. It holds about 150 prisoners.
The prison includes a Drug Treatment Unit for prisoners with drug or alcohol problems.
Wellington Prison, also known as Mt Crawford, holds about 120 prisoners and is located next to the suburb of Miramar, in Wellington. It was built in 1927. The prison was temporarily closed from June 2008 until July 2009.[1]
Christchurch Prison, also known as Paparua, is located near Paparua to the west of Christchurch. It can accommodate about 930 prisoners but many prisoners were moved elsewhere after the 2010 Canterbury earthquake. It was built in 1925, and the prison includes a Drug Treatment Unit for prisoners with drug and alcohol problems as well as a Youth Unit for prisoners under 18 years old.
Christchurch Women's Prison is one of three female prisons in New Zealand. It is located near Paparua to the west of Christchurch and holds about 130 prisoners.
Rolleston prison is located in Rolleston, south of Christchurch and holds about 320 male prisoners.
The prison includes the 60-bed Kia Marama Sex Offender Treatment Unit, one of two such units in the country. The unit delivers group-based treatment within a therapeutic environment to child sex offenders.
Otago Corrections Facility is located near Milton and holds about 425 male prisoners. The facility opened in 2007.
The prison includes a Drug Treatment Unit for prisoners with drug and alcohol problems.
Invercargill Prison, in Invercargill, holds about 165 prisoners. Built in 1910, the prison operated as a borstal until 1981.
In 2010 the New Zealand Government announced that the Department of Corrections proposes to establish a men’s prison on undeveloped land adjacent to the Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility at 20 Hautu Drive, Wiri, Manukau City.
The Government intends that the new prison will be designed, built and operated under a public-private partnership (PPP). A custodial PPP is where a private sector consortium signs a contract with the Department of Corrections to design, build, maintain and operate the prison for the duration of the contract.
The prison is scheduled to be completed in 2014.
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