Every day, prisoners around the country receive and send letters, make phone calls and meet visitors.
Invevitably, being in prison means rights and privileges are restricted, says General Manager Public Prisons Service Harry Hawthorn.
“This doesn’t mean they are or should be be completely removed from contact with the world and prisoners should be encouraged to maintain links with family and support networks so they can make a smooth return to the community when they complete their sentences,” he says.
Guidelines are laid out in the Corrections Act 2004. Under the Act prisoners can write and receive letters, make phone calls, and see their family and friends. They can also purchase phone cards and make short calls to a list of approved numbers.
Prisoners are generally entitled to a minimum of one 30-minute visit per week and can request to see a chaplain, a kaiwhakamana (Maori specified visitor) or a Fautua Pasefika (Pacific specified visitor).
“There is a lot of debate about the rights of prisoners,” Harry says. “But the fact is, most will be getting out one day and the support of their family, whanau, and friends is an important factor in reintegrating them into the community.”
Nevertheless, communications with the outside are not uncontrolled. Prison management can withhold prisoner letters if they are threatening or intimidating, endanger the safety or welfare of any person, pose a threat to prison security, or may facilitate an offence.
Phone calls can be restricted or visitors barred for similar reasons.
Prisoners are allowed to make calls to approved numbers for a maximum duration of 15 minutes each. On entering prison, prisoners complete telephone number request forms and provide lists of people they wish to contact. Each person on the list is contacted to verify whether they are willing to receive calls from the prisoner.
If an incoming call is received, staff will check the validity of the caller and the reason for the call.
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ISSN 1178-8453