Tongariro/Rangipo Prison

Tongariro/Rangipo Prison is on a large site of 8481.6 hectares off the Desert Road in the central North Island. Around 4200 hectares of the site are forest, 2400 hectares farm and the remaining 1840 hectares are roads, river reserves, wetlands and native forest.

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Contact details

Phone:
(07) 384 7400

Postal Address:
Private Bag 500
Turangi 3353

Physical address:
Rangipo Prison Rd
State Highway 1 (Desert Road)
Turangi

General information

Prisoner capacity: 600
Security classification: Minimum to low-medium security male prisoners
Staff numbers: 251
Year established: 1922

Security

Given its extreme size, it is not possible to surround the Tongariro/Rangipo Prison site with razor wire fencing but units within the prison grounds are appropriately fenced and secure.

All visitors, vehicles and staff entering the site may be searched by staff or a drug dog and the prison has a range of electronic security devices and cameras, closed circuit TV, video motion detectors, microwave sensors and cell phone jammers.

Reducing re-offending

Getting prisoners to live offence-free lives once released is a key part of Corrections work. To help achieve this all prisons run a range of programmes for offenders that fall into four broad categories:

• motivational programmes to get offenders to accept they need to change
• rehabilitation programmes to get offenders to understand and change their offending behaviour
• education and employment
• reintegration programmes to give prisoners key life skills to live back in the community

Specialist units at Tongariro/Rangipo Prison

• Maori Focus Unit

Prisoner-employment industries at Tongariro/Rangipo Prison

• Forestry and horticulture work parties
• Sheep and beef farm
• Timber processing mill
• Carpentry workshop
• Food preparation and catering
• Grounds maintenance

Every prison has a range of industries run by Corrections Inmate Employment (CIE). These industries create work environments that match those in the community as closely as possible and give prisoners training and experience that will improve their chances of employment when released. Nearly half of offenders were not in paid work before going to prison and research has shown that prisoners who find work once released are less likely to re-offend.

More information about prisoner employment

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