Prison to operate at reduced capacity
The Waikeria prison will operate at a reduced capacity for almost two years after a riot at the facility made a section of it uninhabitable.
The six-day riot, which began on December 29, resulted in serious damage to the structural integrity of the top jail facility, a Department of Corrections spokesperson said.
Last week the site was part of a crime scene, but it had now been handed back to the Department of Corrections. However, the unit had been deemed unsafe for anyone to enter, including Corrections or emergency services staff.
‘‘Therefore we have been unable to assess the damage or what might be salvageable from the site.’’
Photos taken from the air by
during the riot showed prisoners in collapsible chairs, while helmeted guards were seen carrying shields on the ground below. An entire wing, at least 100 metres long, appeared destroyed with the roof a tangled web of debris.
The inmates were protesting over dilapidated conditions and Corrections’ strategy for Ma¯ ori.
The destruction of the unit saw more than 200 prisoners evacuated from the top jail during the fires.
‘‘It has significantly impacted on the 500 men that remain on site,’’ a spokesperson said.
Corrections said prisoners who were accommodated in the facility had been moved to other prisons, though they would not give a breakdown on which prisons inmates had been transferred to. Or how many had gone to each.
‘‘We understand the distress this may cause for both the men and their families, and we are working to provide additional support for them, so they can maintain contact and continue to access the programmes and services they need.’’
The rest of the prison, which is low to medium security prisoners, is operating as normal, although there has been damage to the prisoner payphone system.
‘‘We are working urgently to resolve this, but can provide assurance that all prisoners in other units are safe and well in the prison’’.
Prison visits for whanau and friends resumed at the weekend. Construction on a new 500 bed facility, with an extra 100 bed mental health unit, is currently being built at Waikeria and is due for completion in 2022.
The construction of the extension before the riot, acknowledged that the top jail facility, which opened in 1911, was no longer able to meet the needs of prisoners or staff.
Waikeria prison will operate with approximately 500 prisoners in the low/medium security section of the prison and this reduced capacity will remain until the new prison is completed in late 2022. There have been other consequences for the prisoners that were displaced.
‘‘This includes loss of belongings, lack of access to rehabilitation and reintegration programmes and being forced to move away from family, friends and legal networks. We are working closely with each of these prisoners to ensure they continue to maintain their relationships with family and friends and receive access to their lawyers and legal advice.’’
There are audiovisual suites at all prisons to help maintain that connection, the spokespersons said.
Corrections also said that until a full inspection was complete, they were not able to determine what exactly had been lost.
‘‘The prisoners that were housed there at the time of the fires will have lost most, if not all, of their personal belongings. The majority of Corrections files are maintained electronically and these are held securely. We are as yet unsure what paper files may have been stored and/or lost in the riot.’’
Evening meals are still being prepared at Spring Hill Corrections Facility and transported to Waikeria by van and this will continue for the present time. There are currently two reviews on the riot underway, the first by Corrections Chief Custodial Officer the other by the Chief Inspector.
A Corrections spokesperson said they were not aware of any further complaints from prisoners in relation to their treatment.
‘‘There are a number of channels for prisoners to report concerns or make complaints . . . These channels are free for any prisoner to contact, with contact details readily available to individuals.’’