D.02.03 Management of Young Prisoners in Youth Units

Authority for Policy

• Corrections Regulations, Regulations 179 to 183
• Corrections Act 2004, Sections 59, 133 and 137
• Youth Units Policy and Operating Procedures

Policy Standard

Youth Units are focus units (as opposed to Specialist Treatment Units) for vulnerable male prisoners under 20 years of age.

Primary objectives are:

1. To provide a safe and secure developmental environment for vulnerable young prisoners; and
2. To reduce re-offending amongst this group by providing access to a range of educational, vocational, psychological and recreational activities in a structured and supportive environment which is normalised as much as is possible in a prison setting.

Target Population

Youth Units detain:

• Male prisoners only;
• All security classifications up to and including BB;
• Remand and sentenced prisoners where approval to mix such prisoners has been issued by the General Manager Public Prisons Service (GMPPS);
• All suitably classified 14-17 year-olds except those transferred to a Child, Youth and Family Residence;
• 18-19 year-olds assessed as vulnerable using the Prison Youth Vulnerability Scale (PYVS);

Prisoners who are actively ‘at risk’ will not be accommodated in Youth Units.

Note: The GMPPS has issued approvals under regulation 180 for the mixing of young and remand prisoners with other young prisoners within the existing Youth Units to the Prison Managers of those institutions.

Unit Environment

• Youth Units place particular emphasis on creating a normalised environment. This shall include:
• Substantial, positive and meaningful interaction between staff and prisoners, based on active management principles.
• Staff who role-model pro-social attitudes and behaviour.
• A full, purposeful and active day structured around rehabilitative programmes, education, employment and vocational training, and recreational activities.
• Creation of a positive peer culture by recognising individual achievement, openly discussing inappropriate behaviour and encouraging prisoners to work together as a team.
• Encouraging contact with family and whanau, where this is in the prisoner’s best interests.
• Encouraging community involvement, including the Maori community.

Generally every effort will be made to ensure no contact with prisoners from other units or adult prisoners.

On occasions where contact is unavoidable, such as medical visits outside of the youth unit, close supervision is required at all times.

• Regional Managers may approve written applications for closely supervised contact between a young offender and an adult prisoner where the adult prisoner can make a demonstrable contribution to the young offender’s sentence plan.

Note: Refer to F.01 Youth Units Policy and Operating System for detailed operating procedures.

Prison to Contact Nominated Person

Under regulation 183 of the Corrections Regulations 2005, a young prisoner may nominate a parent or guardian or any other adult selected by the young prisoner as a contact person if they are:

• subject to any segregation direction (other than a segregation direction under s59(1)(a) of the Act; or
• confined in a cell for a disciplinary offence under s133 or 137 of the Act

If a young prisoner has nominated a person under Regulation 183 of the Corrections Regulations 2005, the Prison Manager or manager authorised for the purpose must, as soon as practicable, ensure the nominated person is informed, both orally and in writing, of the prisoner’s segregation or cell confinement, and the reasons for the prisoner’s segregation or cell confinement.

Note: Refer D.02.03.F1 Contact Person Nomination Form