A.08.05 Unit Attributes and Managing Risk

There are a number of unit attributes that need to be considered in terms of the risk management of prisoners, including:

• Unlock hours
• Internal movements
• Cell standards
• Visiting arrangements

Each of these attributes carry with them a degree of risk and therefore the Prison Manager must consider how a combination of attributes can provide an overall level of risk which is appropriate for each unit.

Unlock hours

The more freedom a prisoner has, the more opportunity they have to breach the good order, security or safety of the prison.

In order to minimise the risk by limiting this opportunity, Prison Managers will determine a unit's unlock hours based on the broad type of prisoner being accommodated in the unit.

Generally, the lower the risk of the prisoners, the longer the period of unlock.

Internal movements

Freedom of movement within a prison can increase the risk of non-compliant and unlawful activities occurring.

Accordingly, the amount of freedom of movement afforded prisoners and the escorting requirements should relate to their assessed level of risk and the approved zoning of the facility.

Cell standards

Some personal property has potential to be utilised as weapons against staff and other prisoners.

Section 43(2) of the Corrections Act 2004 permits the Prison Manager, to refuse to issue or allow a prisoner to keep an item of property if he or she has reasonable grounds to believe that it may be used to cause injury to any other person.

Section 43 (1)(b) provides the ability for the Prison Manager to consider any special conditions in relation to the use of property.

The minimum amount of cell property permitted to be held by a prisoner is documented in regulation.

It is acknowledged that excessive cell property causes risk related issues in relation to the ability for the prisoner to conceal contraband, illicit activities and / or the ability to move around a cell when required to either:

1. search,
2. extract a troublesome prisoner or
3. provide an emergency response.

Unit attributes will therefore provide the opportunity to enhance the minimum entitlement for cell property in areas where individual prisoners have demonstrated the appropriate level of reduced risk.

In setting the attributes applicable to each type of unit, the Prison Manager should take into account the security considerations relating to the unit type and the grounds for refusing to issue property to a prisoner listed in the Corrections Act 2004 Sections 43(1)(2), and should determine a standard which minimises the potential risks.

Visiting arrangements

Family/whanau contact is recognised as a valuable contributor to rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders but such contact also presents opportunities for the transfer of unauthorised items into the prison which may, subsequently pose a risk to the safe custody and welfare of other prisoners.

Unit visiting arrangements should minimise the risk of this occurring by varying the visit type (contact or non contact) and frequency of visiting (including family days) between units according to the assessed level of risk of the prisoners in each unit.