APPE system is now live!

After months of planning, the Authorised Prisoner Provider Entry (APPE) is now fully installed and operating in all prisons nationally. 

This is a wonderful milestone and is a result of a lot of work by many people in all parts of the Department including Rehabilitation and Reintegration, Prison Services, National Office Staff, our external providers and of course all the volunteers, including Kaiwhakamana and Fautua Pasefika. This has been a great example of one team working together.

For Volunteer Co-ordinators, Area Advisors Maori, Regional Advisors Pacific, Chaplains and Prison staff the implementation of APPE has been a big project.

Details of approved volunteers were checked before being loaded onto the new system, Ministry of Justice clearance’s updated, large numbers of inductions held nationally, over 2,500 photos taken, ID Cards printed and then distributed prior to the end of the grace period for each prison.

Volunteers have played their role by completing extra forms, attending inductions if required, traveling to get photos taken and then picking up their new ID cards.

The three prisons in the Wellington region went first in September, one month later the rest of the country went live in October. Volunteer Co-ordinator for Wellington Area Prisons Jenny Grant says the introduction of the system had gone well overall.  “Once volunteers have their cards, they appreciate how much easier it is. We definitely had our challenges along the way, but I am lucky that the volunteers have been really patient and understanding.”

The APPE ID cards are required for providers to present to the gatehouse at all prisons, to verify that they are the person that they say they are and that they are approved to enter a prison (or not!). The card replaces the need to carry any other form of identification or verification that you are an approved volunteer. It does not replace the need to pre-arrange your visits to each site, you should still continue to make arrangements to go to each prison in the same way.

By now all volunteers, Kaiwhakamana and Fautua Pasefika should have their own ID card.  If you haven’t or you have any questions about your ID cards, please contact your Volunteer Co-ordinator or Area Advisor, as you will not be able to enter prison without it.

So, a big thank you to everyone involved.