B.09 Visits to Prisons

Policy Standard

• The purpose of any visit to a prisoner by a private visitor is to maintain the family and social relationships of the prisoner in order to promote the prisoner’s reintegration into the community on release. Staff will be professional, helpful and courteous when dealing with all categories of visitors to the prison.

Performance Standard

1. All prisons will maintain a visitors register and the following information will be accurately recorded:
   • The name and address of any person wishing to enter the prison;
   • The date and time of entry;
   • The time of departure; and if relevant, the name of the prisoner(s) who is to be visited.
2. A visitor to a prison may be excluded from entering a prison if a request for identification is refused, no identification can be produced, or there are reasonable grounds to believe that the identification produced is false.
3. Under no circumstances are gang regalia to be worn on prison premises by a visitor.
4. With the exception of prisoners serving a period of cell confinement on penalty grounds, prisoners are entitled to have at least one private visitor a week for a minimum duration of 30 minutes.
5. Prisons will determine visiting times for the prison, and for particular classes of prisoners within the prison.
6. Visits to prisoners may be scheduled.
7. Days and times that allow for visitors to travel to the prison will be taken into account.
8. Visiting times for accused prisoners will be as flexible as possible.
9. Approval for visits outside of normal visiting hours may be given.
10. Prisons must establish a pre-approved visitor system.
11. Prison boundaries, property and strategic access points will be clearly marked.
12. Readable signs informing visitors of relevant prison regulations and rules will be prominently displayed.
13. All visitors will comply with those regulations, and rules.
14. Current regulations and rules relating to visiting will be prominently displayed in visiting areas, and in particular notices containing information relating to:
    • Health and Safety
    • Kaitiakitanga
    • Tikanga. 
15. Signs advising visitors of the likelihood of their being searched will be prominently displayed.
16. Visitors to be searched are advised of their rights, the authority for the search, and the possibility of arrest following the search if any unauthorised item is found.
17. No staff member who is carrying out duties at a prison may receive personal visitors without the prior approval of the Prison Manager.
18. Visitors carrying prescribed medication will be required to provide information relating to that medication before they will be permitted entry to a prison.
19. Visitors who are detained for searching or who have been arrested are held in humane and secure conditions.
20. Non statutory visitors may be excluded from a prison in certain circumstances.
21. Non statutory visitors may be prohibited from visiting a prisoner(s) or a prison in certain circumstances.
22. Private visitors may be required to provide information relating to their personal identity, relationship with the prisoner they are applying to visit, previous criminal offending history, whether they are currently on bail, and whether they have been refused admittance to the prison or any other prison as a visitor.
23. Visitors will have their name, designation where appropriate, address or organisation, purpose of visit, date and time of entry and exit accurately recorded.
24. All visits to prisons will be supervised in a way that balances the need for:
    • the reasonable privacy of prisoners and their visitors;
    • the maintenance of safety of any person in the prison;
    • ensuring the security and order of the prison; and
    • preventing the transfer of unauthorised items between visitors and prisoners.
25. Visits to a prisoner or prisoners will not be recorded by sound or visual recording without approval of the Prison Manager, the prisoner and the visitor.
26. However, visual images of prisoners and visitors may be recorded by security surveillance camera. Notices informing visitors of their use must be prominently displayed in visiting areas.
27. The Chief Executive (or his/her delegate) and the prisoner concerned must give prior written approval for any interview, sound recording, film, photograph videotape or other visual recording with, or of, a prisoner, by any publisher, broadcaster, producer, disseminator of news, writer or journalist, any employee or agent of any of the above, or any other person if the purpose is to broadcast or publish it.