Country’s biggest jail getting even bigger
The country’s largest prison is expanding its capacity with the installation of ‘‘modular units’’ in an effort to keep up with the growing number of inmates.
The Corrections Department began installing two Chinese-made 122-bed accommodation units for low-security prisoners at Rimutaka Prison in Upper Hutt in December. The new units will increase the maximum capacity of the prison from 1118 to 1362.
Eight of the units are being installed at five Corrections sites across the country, with one each for Christchurch Women’s and Tongariro prisons, and two each for Rolleston, Christchurch Men’s and Rimutaka prisons.
Each unit consists of 60 doublebunked cells, two single-bunked cells, and other spaces for prisoners and staff, such as laundry rooms and offices.
Rimutaka Prison director Vivian Whelan said the increased capacity would ensure it would be able to react to future fluctuations in the prison population.
The number of inmates in the country’s prisons increased 20 per cent over the last five years, peaking at 10,820 in March last year. There are currently fewer than 10,000 inmates.
It was reported last year that quality issues had been discovered while the units were being made.
Corrections chief custodial officer Neil Beales said offshore manufacture of modular prisoner accommodation was a first for New Zealand, and ‘‘minor issues’’ were identified during manufacturing but had since been addressed by the supplier.
The units were made of ‘‘highquality components’’ that met New Zealand building code standards.