Travel Arrangements from Prison

Agreed travel arrangements

If the offender is being released to an area outside of the CPPS area where the prison is located, travel arrangements will need to be agreed between the:

• offender
• prison (receiving officer), and
• probation officer in the area where the offender is to reside.

Transfer to nearby prison

Wherever possible, the prison should transfer the offender to the prison closest to the CPPS area where the offender is to reside, prior to release.

Public transport

If transfer to a nearby prison is not possible, or if there is no prison nearby (e.g. in Nelson), alternative arrangements will need to be made for public transport. The prison will normally pay for the public transport, and deliver the offender to the bus or train station (or occasionally to the airport).

Steps to take

The supervising probation officer in the area where the offender will be residing should follow these steps when arranging travel.

Collection by family or friends

Where there is a proposal that the offender be collected by family or friends, this should only be approved:

• in consultation with the supervising probation officer, and
• if it is considered that those offering to collect the offender would be a pro social influence on the offender.

If collection by family or friends is approved, the probation officer must:

• inform the prison of the names of those who have been approved to collect the offender, and the time that they are arriving, and
• issue a written instruction to the offender stating that he/she report to the supervising probation officer at the designated address for HD, at a specific time. (This instruction is not required if already stipulated as a special condition on the release licence).

Note: The time allowed should be the minimum time for safe travel from the prison to the destination, by the most direct route, with no stopovers other than for meal breaks.