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Media release

Unintended consequences for prisoners as Northland continues with old regime

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The Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says the Northland Regional Corrections Facility is persisting with policies that are preventing it from achieving its full potential.

Mr Boshier says the Northland Regional Corrections Facility has changed focus.

High security prisoners were transferred out of the prison in 2013. Now it housed prisoners with lower security classifications and almost a quarter of the prison population with those on remand awaiting trial.

“Yet many of the processes and practices were more suited to a high security setting and were impeding achievement of the Prison’s vision to develop a Kaupapa Māori based culture to support tāne to take their proper place in the community.”

Mr Boshier says population pressures and staff shortages have also served to limit progress.

“The unintended consequences of persisting with some practices had an adverse impact on the treatment of prisoners.”

The Department of Corrections has accepted 28 of the Chief Ombudsman’s 31 recommendations.

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