Long term network configuration plan

Download the Long term network configuration plan PDF, 21.0 MB

Foreword

The Department of Corrections, Ara Poutama Aotearoa has three organisational outcomes; to improve public safety, reduce reoffending and reduce the overrepresentation of Māori. We make the community safer, by supporting people to leave us better and with brighter prospects.

To do this, we need to provide environments that support stronger rehabilitation and reintegration outcomes for those we manage, and where our staff, service providers, and partners are safe, and have the tools they need to do their work. Our ability to deliver on this goal is underpinned by the quality of our facilities and infrastructure – a critical enabler for success.

The prison population is projected to grow in the long-term, and we need to plan for this now. Similarily, we acknowledge the need to invest in our prisons to ensure safety and security for our staff and those in our custody, as well as reduce re-offending through effective rehabilitation.

The Chief Ombudsman’s report Kia Whaitake/Making a Difference, released in 2023, and insights generated by other oversight bodies signals a clear priority for Corrections to address the poorest quality high security environments in the prison network. Upgrading prison infrastructure is crucial for safer working conditions for Corrections staff and improved living conditions for prisoners. These upgrades will enhance the overall effectiveness and safety of our prison system.

This LTNCP charts the course for a safer and more fit-for-purpose network that will enable us to meet the needs of a growing, more dynamic and complex prison population, while making prudent financial choices.

At the heart of the LTNCP is the Future Prison Network Framework which will enable us to drive decisions about prison infrastructure from a whole of network view. Strategic facilities form the backbone of the framework. These facilities will serve as focal points for dealing with population growth, quality issues, and our ongoing ability to staff facilities and deliver quality services.

Over the next two decades, the plan will provide a pathway to a network that balances regional needs, improves the quality of our prison infrastructure and ensures purposeful investment in facilities. The goal is to create a cohesive, more adaptable network that provides high-quality capacity and environments that support rehabilitation and reintegration, and at the same time provide safer, more effective and efficient working conditions for staff.

The LTNCP is born out of a thorough review of the prison network, identifying over 2,200 poor quality beds, including more than 1,300 in high-security units, that should be replaced over time. In response to this and long-term population growth, the plan includes the addition of over 5,100 new, mostly high-security beds. This will lead to the retirement of 2,200 poor-quality or end-of-life beds from the prison network. As a result, there will be a net gain of around 2,900 beds. The LTNCP provides a flexible plan to consider investment over time and restore resilience across the network. Its delivery is dependent on future budget decisions and related consideration alongside Government priorities.

The plan includes potential bed closures, upgrades to Hut Units, and a strategic approach to addressing uncertainty and the requirement for resilience. Initiatives will increase capacity in the regions where we need it, and explore new options for the long-term, such as focusing on areas like the Bay of Plenty.

The Government and infrastructure sector are calling for more effective long-term planning and improved management of infrastructure and existing assets by agencies. The LTNCP enables this and supports what we ultimately aim to achieve as an agency. It offers a comprehensive blueprint for a prison network that is prepared for the future.