Introduction
Corrections established the Regional Prisons Development Project to construct four new corrections facilities to accommodate an increasing prison population. The new facilities will add more than 1,600 beds to the prison system.
SHCF is the largest of the new facilities and will provide an additional 650 beds for male prisoners, and has been purpose built to meet their rehabilitative needs. It will accommodate prisoners with low to high security classifications.
Construction
Construction of SHCF began with earthworks in November 2004. Building started in July 2005, and was completed by 31 July 2007. At peak periods of construction, almost 1,000 staff were working 160,000 hours a month on the site.
Like all the new facilities, SHCF was constructed using a Collaborative Working Arrangement (CWA) contracting methodology. A CWA is an integrated project delivery team made up of Corrections and various construction partners.
Corrections’ construction partners for SHCF are:
Architects & Building Services –Stephenson and Turner New Zealand Limited
Civil and Structural Engineers – Connell Wagner
Construction – Mainzeal Property & Construction Limited
Civil/Site Work Construction – Works Infrastructure Limited
Earthworks – Multiplex Construction (NZ) Limited, Henry Walker Eltin New Zealand Limited, Earthtech Consulting Limited
Security – Honeywell New Zealand Limited
Design
SHCF incorporates design and features that are intended to be most effective in terms of safety, security and rehabilitation.
The design is consistent with modern prison design internationally and the Department’s experience operating NZ prisons
SHCF is deliberately designed quite differently from traditional prisons. It is basically a big, secure enclosure with a number of separate units set in a large open space within a highly secure perimeter wall. Accommodation units are clustered around centrally located services such as kitchens, industry areas and programme rooms.
The facility operates a small number of self care accommodation units outside the perimeter wall but within the SHCF site.
The entire facility is enclosed by a highly secure perimeter fence with a single controlled point of entry.
This secure perimeter allows a more open internal prison environment, where prisoners can move through a planned day.
This protects the public and staff, reduces stress and prisoner management issues and provides a more effective environment for treatment, training and work programmes.
Supporting rehabilitation
SHCF supports rehabilitation by providing an environment conducive to a structured day, with staff interaction with prisoners focused on sentence plan objectives.
Prisoners move through their daily routines – working, training, recreation, attending health appointments – and are responsible for getting to and completing their work and programmes as prescribed in their sentence plans.
Education, training and employment are important features of a structured day – a target of 60 per cent has been set for prisoner employment and training activity in new facilities
A range of educative, rehabilitative and reintegrative programmes are provided including:
Employment opportunities at SHCF have not been finalised yet, but will include:
Release to Work allows low security prisoners to be released to work during the day in ordinary jobs in the community. This provides prisoners with a stable work record and job experience, and, in many cases, the job is carried on when the prisoner leaves prison.
Supporting reintegration
SHCF supports reintegration of prisoners back into the community by providing as normal an environment as is possible in a prison, providing more employment opportunities and bringing the community into prison.
Reintegration caseworkers will work with high-need prisoners to prepare for their reintegration into the community after release. Caseworkers help prisoners to address problems likely to increase their risk of re-offending - common needs include accommodation, employment, managing relationships, community support, and managing finances.
A Work and Income Work Broker and Ministry of Social Development Case Manager will be based permanently on each site to help prisoners look for suitable work before they are released.
Community Probation Service staff will support reintegration of prisoners after their release.
Pacific Focus unit
The Pacific Focus Unit - Vaka Fa'aola (PFU) and associated fale at SHCF is a first for the prison service. The PFU is a residential unit comprising 44 beds, combined with a multi–purpose Fale where rehabilitation and reintegration programmes will be held for Pacific prisoners.
The PFU provides an environment where Pacific prisoners with a high risk of re-offending are encouraged to address their offending behaviours.
Aiga/fanau, the model of the traditional Pacific family, is the key concept underpinning the PFU, and the active participation of families and the Church is part of this.
The PFU will support the development of Pacific prisoners’ knowledge of their culture, social and cultural histories, to help them recognise good behaviours and be motivated to change their own criminal attitudes and behaviours.
The Unit will be managed predominantly by Pacific staff and has incorporated Pacific design features.
Read more about the PFU on the Department of Corrections' website.
Drug treatment units and special treatment units
SHCF will operate both a Drug Treatment Unit (one of six operated by the Department) and a Special Treatment Unit (one of five currently operated by the Department – although a sixth one is planned). The prisoners located in these units are separated from the main prisoner population. Both the Drug Treatment Unit (DTU) and Special Treatment Unit (STU) will have the capacity to house 40 prisoners.
Providing such intensive specialised units gives motivated prisoners the tools to turn their lives around, by allowing them to address long-standing health issues such as addictions, which are often a significant driver in their offending. Both the STU and DTU will accept prisoners from July 2008.
Working with the community
The active involvement of the community is important in the operation of SHCF because of the significant role family, whānau and friends have in reducing re-offending and assisting prisoner reintegration into the community.
Corrections has established a community liaison group for the development of SHCF in conjunction with community members, local councils, and local police. This group will be an ongoing point of community input and involvement with SHCF.
A range of community groups and individuals will work with prisoners both before and after their release.
Working with Māori
The Department has developed SHCF in conjunction with local iwi representatives Ngāti Naho.
In their role as guardian or Kaitiaki, Ngāti Naho have been actively involved in the development and construction of SHCF and have an ongoing connection to it through the rehabilitation and reintegration programmes that operate there.
Prisoner build up
A phased build up of prisoners has been planned for SHCF in order to fully test it and ensure it is fit-for-purpose prior to the receipt of large numbers of prisoners.
The first group of prisoners will be accepted to SHCF in November 2007. Numbers will gradually increase until capacity is reached by June 2008.
Hampton Downs Road
RD 1
Te Kauwhata
Waikato
Postal Address:
Private Bag 503
Huntly
Waikato
Main Phone: (07) 826 0200
Main Fax: (07) 826 8461