Prison opens doors to students

Almost 150 local high-school and university students have had a taste of prison life during tours of Christchurch Men’s Prison over the last 12 months.

“They’re mostly legal studies classes and law students,” says Annie Nelsen from the Visits Approval Team at Christchurch Men’s Prison.

The tours give students an understanding of how a corrections facility operates on a day-to-day basis, and include a demonstration of the effectiveness of drug dogs.

Ollie, the resident drug dog, and Handler Barry Nelsen have been very popular with the tour groups and helped them learn about the problems associated with drugs in prisons.

“All the groups that toured responded very positively and asked if they could come again next year,” says Annie.

Acting Regional Manager Jane von Dadelszen congratulated Annie and the team at the prison on their relationship-building initiatives.

“They really make a difference to the Department’s relationship with our community and to public views of the Department generally. It’s great that they have shown our strengths so well,“ she says.