Corrections welcomes new recruits

9 July

Thirty- three new corrections officers and four Corrections Inmate Employment (CIE) instructors graduated from their six week course at the Staff Training College on 8 July 2010.

The graduates are now set to join the frontline of community safety and are destined for positions at Prison and Corrections Inmate Employment sites across the country.

One recruit also received the Minister’s Excellence Award at the ceremony, which has been established by the Minister of Corrections to promote and honour the leadership, professionalism and all-round excellence of one particularly outstanding graduate of the Department’s six week live in training course.
  
Corrections Deputy Chief Executive Sandi Beattie was at the ceremony welcoming graduates into their new employment.
 
“Hard working and conscientious people such as yourselves are essential in an organisation like ours and I’m pleased to welcome you to the Department of Corrections,” she said.

The recipient of the Minister's Excellence Award was Lisa Watkins, who was selected for the academic achievement, commitment and dedication she demonstrated throughout the course. National MP Katrina Shanks presented the award on behalf of the Minister of Corrections Hon Judith Collins.

“Lisa’s performance and conduct throughout the course highlighted her professionalism, responsiveness, integrity and diversity – all the skills needed to have a successful and rewarding career with the Department of Corrections,” said Ms Shanks on presenting the award.

Notes to Editors

• Corrections Officers are responsible for ensuring prisoners are safely, securely and humanely contained during their sentence and they actively work with prisoners to make positive changes to their behaviour.
• The new recruits have spent the last six weeks living at the Staff Training College adjacent to Rimutaka Prison where they have learnt the basics in actively managing all types of prisoners, from dangerous and disturbed to rehabilitation-focused quieter types.
• Graduates have covered modules in Corrections legislation, the Sentencing and Parole Acts, site and perimeter safety, managing prisoners’ visitors, drug reduction in prison, gang management and avoiding being compromised – or ‘getting got’ by prisoners, among others.
• During their career in Prison Services the graduates will continue to undertake workplace training toward National Certificates in Offender Management, refresher training and specialist role training as required.

For further information contact the Communications Services Desk:

• Phone: (04) 460 3365  
• Email: commdesk@corrections.govt.nz