Kyla
09-22-2004, 02:50 AM
Manawatu Prison
Background
Manawatu Youth Institution opened in 1979 to cater for remand and sentenced male inmates motivated to make use of the institution's educational, social development, trade training and community-based programmes. Sentenced inmates were specially selected for the programme and were generally serving up to two years imprisonment and aged between 17 and 24 years.
The institution became Manawatu Prison in 1985 and developed a more regional role with a special emphasis on training opportunities and community involvement. Manawatu Prison still caters for the demands of the local catchment area, housing remand, minimum and medium security sentenced male inmates.
The prison consists of four residential units and has a maximum capacity of 278 male inmates.
Facilities on site at Manawatu were upgraded significantly during the period 1998 - 2002. These improvements included additional and refurbished inmate accommodation, a new perimeter security fence, observation cells, and new control room..
New Plymouth, Wanganui, Manawatu and Hawke's Bay , Prisons together form the Midland prison region.
Sentence management
The Department of Corrections provides a structured and integrated approach to managing offenders.
On arrival at prison, each inmate is assessed according to their risk of re-offending, the causes and influences of their offending behaviour, and their willingness to change.The assessment also looks at educational needs, health needs, special needs, and security risks.
A sentence plan is drawn up based on this assessment, focusing on giving the offender opportunities to break the cycle of re-offending. The plan may include programmes aimed at giving inmates the skills to deal with challenges they may face when they return to the community, such as budgeting, employment and relationships.
The process allows for the most appropriate form of intervention to be targeted to each offender. Interventions range from providing education and a career start for young offenders, to providing intensive programmes to those offenders motivated to address the causes of their offending.
Corrections has a strategy in place to minimise harm caused by drug use. The strategy aims to reduce the supply and demand of drugs in prison and the crime associated with it. To achieve the strategy, some of the methods used include visitor searches, vehicle checkpoints, use of drug dogs, a national 0800 JAILSAFE phone line, gathering crime related intelligence, liaison with the Police, and Alcohol and Drug inmate rehabilitation programmes.
All New Zealand prisons provide medical, dental, psychological and counselling services. Chaplains provide church services and Bible study groups.
Rehabilitation
A range of programmes has been developed either to improve motivation to change, address educative or employment needs or specifically address what drives an offender's offending behaviour.
The following programmes are offered at Manawatu Prison:
* Straight Thinking - designed to assist offenders to address one of the main causes of their offending - the lack of critical reasoning required to live effectively in society
* National Certificate in Employment Skills (NCES) - designed to improve the basic literacy and numeracy levels of inmates.
* Adult Literacy
* Criminogenic programmes - that include substance abuse, violence and mixed programmes
* Vocational training - designed to assist with preparing inmates for the workforce on their release
* Tikanga Maori - designed to address re-offending from a Maori philosophy, values, knowledge and practices perspective.
Returning to the community
The Department believes the successful reintegration of offenders into the community provides the best protection for society. The Department aims to provide offenders with the skills, knowledge and confidence to live successfully in the community in order to reduce their likelihood of re-offending, and a range of reintegrative services is available.
Reintegrative needs are assessed at the start of an offender's sentence, and reviewed throughout. There are seven reintegrative objectives that can be planned for. These are:
* finding a job
* finding somewhere to live
* budgeting effectively
* managing relationships
* developing positive community support
* preventing victim-related problems
* keeping healthy.
There are three levels of assistance, with all offenders receiving "level one" self-help. This includes contact details of organisations that can help them re-settle once they have left prison, and access via case officers to a knowledge base. Some offenders will require greater support from their case officer, and further referral can be made to other specialist staff (eg. a social worker) or external agencies (eg. NZPARS) who can provide more in depth support and advice.
For those who do not have the skills to live independently on release, a further level of support is available through reintegrative programmes and/or living in self-care units. These are scheduled for near the end of their period in prison.
Three reintegrative programmes have been developed:
* Living Skills - a 36-hour broad-based programme to give offenders skills and knowledge across most reintegrative areas
* Budgeting Skills - a 10-hour group programme aimed at offenders with specific budgeting and money needs
* Parenting Skills - a 32-hour group programme designed to meet parenting skills needs.
While these programmes are not yet available at all prisons, it is anticipated they will be fully operational by 2004. All three programmes have been designed to meet the specific needs of Maori, Pacific Peoples, women and youth.
Employment
Inmates are employed in traditional servicing tasks such as cooking, cleaning and laundry. In 1998 a workshop area was converted into a light engineering workshop to manufacture security fences for prisons - including Manawatu. Other steelwork is produced to order including items such as pot plant stands, braziers and log baskets. This work provides inmates with opportunities to gain welding qualifications. This assists them to gain employment on their eventual release.
The Prison gardens provide employment for inmates. There is also a community gang that builds and maintains walkways throughout the city for the Palmerston North City Council. Inmates receive a small incentive for the work they do.
Education
Contracted programme providers provide education needs identified in the assessment process as part of sentence management. Inmates may enrol for correspondence school courses in secondary school subjects, trade courses and university studies on an extramural basis providing this is an identified need of the individual in accordance with his case management plan. Qualified instructors provide vocational training.
The National Certificate in Employment Skills is available to inmates at Manawatu Prison. This is a pre-employment qualification which offers learning in a range of work related skills, including basic literacy and numeracy. NCES is recognised by many industry areas throughout New Zealand. The focus is on improving the educational level of inmates to assist them in gaining future employment.
Special units
The Alpha Unit is a 20-hut unit that provides a supportive environment for inmates committed to the Principles, Values and Attitudes programme. This programme is run by the Chaplain and is based on the spiritual values of the Christian faith.
General information
Manawatu Prison
Private Bag 11 023
PALMERSTON NORTH
Telephone (06) 325 8503
Fax (06) 325 8904
Site Manager Trevor Riddle
Manawatu Prison is situated in Camp Road, Linton, adjacent to the Military Camp and approximately 10km from Palmerston North.
Visiting times
Manawatu Prison is the only prison in New Zealand with a purpose built Visitors Centre. Built in 1998 the facility provides a family friendly environment for inmate visiting and has contributed significantly to reducing the amount of illicit drugs entering the prison.
Visiting times are staggered to accommodate the various inmate classifications. Inmates are aware of their visiting times and individual units can be contacted.
Day
Unit
Time
Monday
Monday No inmate visiting
Tuesday
B Multi Sentenced
9 am - 10 am
CA Main Stream
9 am - 10 am
B B Remand
11 am - 12 pm
B B Remand
1 pm - 2 pm
B B Remand
3 pm - 4 pm
Wednesday
C A Segs
3 pm - 4 pm
B Segs
3 pm - 4 pm
CB
5 pm - 6 pm
TKW / ALPHA
7 pm - 8 pm
Thursday
B B Admin Remand Segs
9 am - 10 am
B B Remand
11 am - 12 Noon
C A Segs
1 pm - 2 pm
B B Segs
1 pm - 2 pm
B B Remand
3 pm - 4 pm
Friday
B B Remand
1 pm - 2 pm
TKW / ALPHA
3 pm - 4 pm
C B
5 pm - 6 pm
TKW / ALPHA
7 pm - 8 pm
Saturday
C B
9 am - 10 pm
B B Admin Segs
11 am - 12 am
Remand
1 pm - 2 pm
TKW / ALPHA
3 pm - 4 pm
Sunday
C A Segs
9 am - 10 am
B B Segs
9 am - 10 Noon
B B Remand
11 am - 12 noon
B B Multi Sentenced
1 pm - 2 pm
C A Mainstream
1 pm - 2 pm
TKW / ALPHA
3 pm - 4 pm
Please note: Visitors should ensure that they have a visit time booked with the prison and a letter from the prison confirming this visiting time. Visitors arriving at the prison will be asked by staff to produce their letter of approval, sent prior to the visit, and a form of identification. Other arrangements to visit can be made in special circumstances. Staff may also ask to search a visitor's car, possessions or the visitor.
On occasions the prisons drug dog is used as an aid to detect drugs and other contraband being brought into the prison. All visitors are also required to produce proof of identity and may be required to undergo a search by an officer using a metal detector
Background
Manawatu Youth Institution opened in 1979 to cater for remand and sentenced male inmates motivated to make use of the institution's educational, social development, trade training and community-based programmes. Sentenced inmates were specially selected for the programme and were generally serving up to two years imprisonment and aged between 17 and 24 years.
The institution became Manawatu Prison in 1985 and developed a more regional role with a special emphasis on training opportunities and community involvement. Manawatu Prison still caters for the demands of the local catchment area, housing remand, minimum and medium security sentenced male inmates.
The prison consists of four residential units and has a maximum capacity of 278 male inmates.
Facilities on site at Manawatu were upgraded significantly during the period 1998 - 2002. These improvements included additional and refurbished inmate accommodation, a new perimeter security fence, observation cells, and new control room..
New Plymouth, Wanganui, Manawatu and Hawke's Bay , Prisons together form the Midland prison region.
Sentence management
The Department of Corrections provides a structured and integrated approach to managing offenders.
On arrival at prison, each inmate is assessed according to their risk of re-offending, the causes and influences of their offending behaviour, and their willingness to change.The assessment also looks at educational needs, health needs, special needs, and security risks.
A sentence plan is drawn up based on this assessment, focusing on giving the offender opportunities to break the cycle of re-offending. The plan may include programmes aimed at giving inmates the skills to deal with challenges they may face when they return to the community, such as budgeting, employment and relationships.
The process allows for the most appropriate form of intervention to be targeted to each offender. Interventions range from providing education and a career start for young offenders, to providing intensive programmes to those offenders motivated to address the causes of their offending.
Corrections has a strategy in place to minimise harm caused by drug use. The strategy aims to reduce the supply and demand of drugs in prison and the crime associated with it. To achieve the strategy, some of the methods used include visitor searches, vehicle checkpoints, use of drug dogs, a national 0800 JAILSAFE phone line, gathering crime related intelligence, liaison with the Police, and Alcohol and Drug inmate rehabilitation programmes.
All New Zealand prisons provide medical, dental, psychological and counselling services. Chaplains provide church services and Bible study groups.
Rehabilitation
A range of programmes has been developed either to improve motivation to change, address educative or employment needs or specifically address what drives an offender's offending behaviour.
The following programmes are offered at Manawatu Prison:
* Straight Thinking - designed to assist offenders to address one of the main causes of their offending - the lack of critical reasoning required to live effectively in society
* National Certificate in Employment Skills (NCES) - designed to improve the basic literacy and numeracy levels of inmates.
* Adult Literacy
* Criminogenic programmes - that include substance abuse, violence and mixed programmes
* Vocational training - designed to assist with preparing inmates for the workforce on their release
* Tikanga Maori - designed to address re-offending from a Maori philosophy, values, knowledge and practices perspective.
Returning to the community
The Department believes the successful reintegration of offenders into the community provides the best protection for society. The Department aims to provide offenders with the skills, knowledge and confidence to live successfully in the community in order to reduce their likelihood of re-offending, and a range of reintegrative services is available.
Reintegrative needs are assessed at the start of an offender's sentence, and reviewed throughout. There are seven reintegrative objectives that can be planned for. These are:
* finding a job
* finding somewhere to live
* budgeting effectively
* managing relationships
* developing positive community support
* preventing victim-related problems
* keeping healthy.
There are three levels of assistance, with all offenders receiving "level one" self-help. This includes contact details of organisations that can help them re-settle once they have left prison, and access via case officers to a knowledge base. Some offenders will require greater support from their case officer, and further referral can be made to other specialist staff (eg. a social worker) or external agencies (eg. NZPARS) who can provide more in depth support and advice.
For those who do not have the skills to live independently on release, a further level of support is available through reintegrative programmes and/or living in self-care units. These are scheduled for near the end of their period in prison.
Three reintegrative programmes have been developed:
* Living Skills - a 36-hour broad-based programme to give offenders skills and knowledge across most reintegrative areas
* Budgeting Skills - a 10-hour group programme aimed at offenders with specific budgeting and money needs
* Parenting Skills - a 32-hour group programme designed to meet parenting skills needs.
While these programmes are not yet available at all prisons, it is anticipated they will be fully operational by 2004. All three programmes have been designed to meet the specific needs of Maori, Pacific Peoples, women and youth.
Employment
Inmates are employed in traditional servicing tasks such as cooking, cleaning and laundry. In 1998 a workshop area was converted into a light engineering workshop to manufacture security fences for prisons - including Manawatu. Other steelwork is produced to order including items such as pot plant stands, braziers and log baskets. This work provides inmates with opportunities to gain welding qualifications. This assists them to gain employment on their eventual release.
The Prison gardens provide employment for inmates. There is also a community gang that builds and maintains walkways throughout the city for the Palmerston North City Council. Inmates receive a small incentive for the work they do.
Education
Contracted programme providers provide education needs identified in the assessment process as part of sentence management. Inmates may enrol for correspondence school courses in secondary school subjects, trade courses and university studies on an extramural basis providing this is an identified need of the individual in accordance with his case management plan. Qualified instructors provide vocational training.
The National Certificate in Employment Skills is available to inmates at Manawatu Prison. This is a pre-employment qualification which offers learning in a range of work related skills, including basic literacy and numeracy. NCES is recognised by many industry areas throughout New Zealand. The focus is on improving the educational level of inmates to assist them in gaining future employment.
Special units
The Alpha Unit is a 20-hut unit that provides a supportive environment for inmates committed to the Principles, Values and Attitudes programme. This programme is run by the Chaplain and is based on the spiritual values of the Christian faith.
General information
Manawatu Prison
Private Bag 11 023
PALMERSTON NORTH
Telephone (06) 325 8503
Fax (06) 325 8904
Site Manager Trevor Riddle
Manawatu Prison is situated in Camp Road, Linton, adjacent to the Military Camp and approximately 10km from Palmerston North.
Visiting times
Manawatu Prison is the only prison in New Zealand with a purpose built Visitors Centre. Built in 1998 the facility provides a family friendly environment for inmate visiting and has contributed significantly to reducing the amount of illicit drugs entering the prison.
Visiting times are staggered to accommodate the various inmate classifications. Inmates are aware of their visiting times and individual units can be contacted.
Day
Unit
Time
Monday
Monday No inmate visiting
Tuesday
B Multi Sentenced
9 am - 10 am
CA Main Stream
9 am - 10 am
B B Remand
11 am - 12 pm
B B Remand
1 pm - 2 pm
B B Remand
3 pm - 4 pm
Wednesday
C A Segs
3 pm - 4 pm
B Segs
3 pm - 4 pm
CB
5 pm - 6 pm
TKW / ALPHA
7 pm - 8 pm
Thursday
B B Admin Remand Segs
9 am - 10 am
B B Remand
11 am - 12 Noon
C A Segs
1 pm - 2 pm
B B Segs
1 pm - 2 pm
B B Remand
3 pm - 4 pm
Friday
B B Remand
1 pm - 2 pm
TKW / ALPHA
3 pm - 4 pm
C B
5 pm - 6 pm
TKW / ALPHA
7 pm - 8 pm
Saturday
C B
9 am - 10 pm
B B Admin Segs
11 am - 12 am
Remand
1 pm - 2 pm
TKW / ALPHA
3 pm - 4 pm
Sunday
C A Segs
9 am - 10 am
B B Segs
9 am - 10 Noon
B B Remand
11 am - 12 noon
B B Multi Sentenced
1 pm - 2 pm
C A Mainstream
1 pm - 2 pm
TKW / ALPHA
3 pm - 4 pm
Please note: Visitors should ensure that they have a visit time booked with the prison and a letter from the prison confirming this visiting time. Visitors arriving at the prison will be asked by staff to produce their letter of approval, sent prior to the visit, and a form of identification. Other arrangements to visit can be made in special circumstances. Staff may also ask to search a visitor's car, possessions or the visitor.
On occasions the prisons drug dog is used as an aid to detect drugs and other contraband being brought into the prison. All visitors are also required to produce proof of identity and may be required to undergo a search by an officer using a metal detector