B.08.01.R7 Guidelines for notifying the nominated contact person or next of kin

Notification of nominated contact person

It is the responsibility of the New Zealand Police to ensure that the deceased’s nominated contact person or next of kin (as recorded on the Department’s Integrated Offender Management System IOMS) is / are notified.

Notice of cultural, religious and spiritual and administrative support

Prisons must have systems in place to liaise with the Police in relation to their notifying the nominated contact person or next of kin and to providing additional, culturally appropriate advice to the next of kin about:

• Things that will occur as required by law.
• The potential for family / whānau to participate in a blessing of the deceased’s cell and unit with prisoners and staff.
• The procedures around the removal of the body.
• The Department organising and covering the expense of the moving the body, in accordance with the wishes of the nominated contact person or the next of kin, from the prison to a funeral parlour, marae or place of burial within New Zealand.
• Arrangements for the handover of any personal property.

If the family / whānau of the deceased is not located in the same region in which the death occurs, then the prison closest to the family / whānau must assist as outlined above.

Note: Refer also to PS booklet “Death In Custody”.