The Department's Inspectors

The Department's Inspectors investigate issues to ensure offenders are being treated safely, fairly and humanely.

The group:

• investigate and resolve complaints from offenders (both in prison and the community) about matters affecting their management or treatment if these cannot be dealt with at a local level
• investigate any death in a prison
• monitor the conduct of any local investigation into allegations of assault or abuse of offenders by Corrections staff
• and may investigate other serious Corrections-related incidents

The Senior Inspector can also review visitor prohibition decisions, while Inspectors can review decisions regarding temporary releases and escorted outings for prisoners as well as dismissing disciplinary charges that have not been heard within the required time.

The Inspectors operate independently of Prison Services and Community Probation and Psychological Services, reporting directly to the Chief Executive.

Complaints to the Inspector

Every offender, whether in prison or serving a community-based sentence, has the right to complain to an Inspector about any matter affecting their management or treatment. However, in most cases, offenders must try to get any issues resolved through their prison or service-centre’s internal complaints system before taking them to an Inspector.

Offenders can contact an Inspector in several ways. These include:

0800 Phone Call

Offenders or their families can call an Inspector on 0800 225 697 during normal business hours. Prisoners can call this number for free from the phone in their unit.

Offenders cannot “jump the queue” by ringing an Inspector about matters that should be sorted out locally. The Inspector will ask what steps an offender has already taken to sort the matter out, and may ask them to make their complaint through the local complaints system if they have not already done so.

The Inspector may also ask offenders for their Interview and Complaint system reference number so they can check the status of any complaint that has been attempted to get resolved locally.

However, if the Inspector does take up an offender's issue because of its urgency or seriousness, they will formally advise them of the outcome. If there is no special need for confidentiality, this will usually be by email through an offenders Unit Manager, PCO or Service Centre Manager.

Written Complaints

Offenders or their families can write to an Inspector of Corrections at any time. Address letters to The Inspector of Corrections, at Private Box 1206, Wellington. The offender will receive written advice from the Inspector about the outcome of any written complaint. Prison staff are not permitted to open or read letters to or from an Inspector.

Interview with an Inspector

An Inspector will visit each prison approximately every 10 weeks to inspect the prison and hear prisoner complaints.

Any prisoner has the right to seek an interview with an Inspector by putting their name on a list in their unit ahead of the visit. They do not have to say why they want to see the Inspector. However, prisoners should give their unit staff the opportunity to resolve issues locally if at all possible.

The interview is confidential, and prisoners will be formally advised of the outcome of any issues raised. If the matter is not serious or confidential, this will normally be by email through a Unit Manager or PCO.