Authority for Policy
- Corrections Regulations 2005, Regulations 24 and 65.
Policy Standard
- Women prisoners are contained in secure facilities separate from men prisoners and are managed in a manner which respects women as adults, takes into account their particular needs as women and acknowledges their family/whanau circumstances and personal histories.
Performance Standards
1. Women prisoners are housed in separate secure facilities and managed independently of male prisoners.
2. A female checklist must be completed on all female prisoners under the age of 18 years (youth), to determine if it is in their best interests to be mixed with female prisoners aged 18 years and over (adults).
3. The female checklist must be completed within 72 hours of the prisoner being received into prison for the first time. Placement should be reviewed when circumstances require i.e. after an incident or following an inter prison transfer.
4. The design and furnishing of new women's prisons takes into account the particular needs of women which are identified through consultation with a wide group of people, including women prisoners, prison staff and community members.
5. The gender and cultural mix of staff working in women's prisons reflects the need to provide positive role models of both genders for women prisoners.
6. Nurses appointed to women's prisons have training specific to women's health issues.
7. Women prisoners are escorted separately from male prisoners.
8. Contraceptive services are provided, on request from a prisoner, for prisoners on temporary releases and/or final release.
9. All women prisoners are offered access to, and support in participating in, programmes aimed at reducing or stopping smoking.
10. Programmes offered to women prisoners take into account issues impacting on women in New Zealand society which are identified through consultation with women's groups.
11. Employment, industry and vocational training provided to women prisoners reflect the variety of skills which will be of value to them upon their return to the community, including surviving without paid employment.
12. The prevalence of sexual abuse histories among women prisoners is taken into account in both the development of programmes for them and their day to day management.
13. Access for women prisoners to information and counselling on abuse related issues is facilitated by prison management.
14. Women prisoners have access to the national cervical screening programme.
15. Women prisoners over the age of 50 years, and/or identified as being at risk, have access to a mammography screening programme.
Key Roles
The Unit Manager or Principal Corrections Officer must:
1. Complete the female checklist (form D.15.01) and make a placement recommendation to the Assistant Regional Manager.
2. Provide documentation i.e. IOMS reports and sentencing documentation to the Assistant Regional Manager to support the placement recommendation.
3. Ensure the Assistant Regional Manager signs the female checklist indicating final placement decision.
4. Place YOUTH alert type on IOMS with one of the following comments:
- approval to mix with adults while inside a prison; or
- to be kept separate from adults while inside a prison.
Note: Where female youths are required to be transported to court, hospital or other external facility, they must be kept physically separate from female adults, even if approval has been given to mix while inside a prison.
5. Place the original copy of the female checklist on the prisoner’s file and send a copy to the Manager - Women, Youth and Specialist Groups (National Office).
The Manager – Women, Youth and Specialist Groups must:
1. Conduct a yearly review of all female checklists completed at each women’s prison.
Forms
D.15.01 - Application to mix under 18 year old females with, or to separate from, older females (female checklist).
