Mothers, children face separation as inmatesmoved out

Women from Arohata Prison, in Tawa, will be moved to facilities in Auckland and Christchurch to enable prison guards to focus on the men at Rimutaka Prison, amid ongoing staffing shortages.

The Corrections Department declined to say how many prisoners would be affected, but justice advocates said the move could jeopardise the women’s rehabilitation.

Maintaining prisoners’ contact with families was core to preventing recidivism, said Maxine Gay, general manager of Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou – a charity that supports tamariki and whānau of people in prison.

‘‘If people are being moved from Arohata who are Wellington or lower North Island residents, this will cause significant harm not just for them but for their family,’’ Gay said.

Despite a falling number of prisoners nationwide, Corrections had been consolidating the prison population around the country due to staff shortages resulting from Covid-19, sickness, border closures and a tight labour market.

‘‘To address these issues, over the coming months Corrections is intending to redistribute the prison population, moving prisoners from sites under staffing pressures to those with higher staffing levels,’’ Corrections told members of the Law Society.

This meant that Arohata prisoners would be assessed and, if suitable, moved to Christchurch or Auckland women’s prisons, to allow the temporary closure of some units so staff could help at Rimutaka prison, Corrections deputy national commissioner Leigh Marsh said.

‘‘There is currently no timeframe for these movements to begin,’’ he said.

The most recent figures, from June 30, showed Arohata had 106 prisoners, 52 of whom were on remand, meaning they are awaiting resolutions of their cases. Corrections declined to say how many of these would be moved or when they would be moved. Corrections Association president Floyd du Plessis confirmed that some women had already been moved from Arohata, but said most would be transferred over the next four or five weeks.

Victoria University criminologist Awatea Mita, a mother and former prisoner, said it was ‘‘inevitable’’ the move would split families apart.

‘‘If you are lucky enough to be placed in a prison that is near your family and children, being separated from them unexpectedly is an added punishment,’’ Mita said.

‘‘It is also heartbreaking to watch them go through that pain. My cellmate would be in tears at different times of the day, secluding herself in the cell, holding the picture of her daughter, not wanting to be seen, because there are risks associated with being vulnerable.’’

AUT law dean Khylee Quince, with an interest in prison rehabilitation, said Corrections could use the situation well by placing any Arohata inmates who come from near Auckland or Christchurch nearer family.

Corrections acknowledged that transfers could affect prisoners’ access to ‘‘rehabilitation, reintegration, education, training, legal representation and whānau’’ and would take these into consideration.

It planned to increase capacity for video calling so prisoners and families could maintain contact, and helping family members apply for travel funding.

‘‘Every effort will be made to ensure that, for instance, women attending rehabilitation programmes or those with strong family and community connections in the Wellington area will remain at Arohata and be unaffected by these plans,’’ Marsh said.