Corrections has started detailed design and planning work after the Government announced additional funding for the Department to develop options to accommodate a rising prison population.
Prison Capacity Development Programme Director Catherine Hall says Corrections needs to start planning now because both remand and sentenced prisoner numbers are forecast to grow rapidly from next year – particularly in the upper North Island.
“The prison system currently has 9,131 beds. On the current prison population forecast these beds will be exhausted by next year and by 2018 the prison system will be required to accommodate around 12,500 prisoners,” says Catherine.
“The funding announced by the Government will allow us to undertake detailed design and planning work for additional beds at different sites in the upper North Island. This work will put the Government in a position to decide which options should be progressed in future budget rounds.”
Catherine says in these very tight economic times, Corrections is also radically rethinking prison design so any future construction will be safe, secure and humane while also providing the taxpayer value for money.
“As part of the design work, we will be investigating the use of standardised modular construction and portable type accommodation, both of which will be more cost effective and could potentially lead to quicker construction than in the past,” says Catherine.
Apart from the design work to build new prison accommodation, Corrections is also negotiating with unions to implement increased double bunking at the four newest prisons.
“If implemented, double bunking will add approximately 900 beds to the prison system next year and this will address the immediate need for beds. Funding has been provided in Budget 2009 that will allow necessary infrastructure changes to be made so that these sites are able to accommodate an increased number of prisoners.”
Catherine says that a significant amount of work is required over the coming years if the Department is going to be able to accommodate rising prisoner numbers.
“The planning work that is now being undertaken will focus on ensuring that any future investment in prison capacity will cost-effectively deliver secure prison accommodate where it is needed.”
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ISSN 1178-8453