Hawke's Bay prison expands

The first unit of 493 new prison beds nationwide was opened in Hawke's Bay yesterday.

It was the first step in a prison expansion programme expected to cost more than $800 million.

Corrections Minister Paul Swain said the 40-bed unit was the first of the new beds planned for existing prisons in the next 12 months.

The low-medium security unit with 14 staff is designed for inmates who want or need to be segregated from the main prison.

One cell has been set up for a disabled inmate.

Twenty more beds will be available next month when a new self-care block opens on the north side of the prison.

It will be the second self-care block at the jail, which is southwest of Hastings.

Mr Swain said 1600 new beds in four new prisons nationwide would be available by 2007.

The first of the new jails, at Ngawha in Northland, is to open today.

Others are planned for Auckland, South Waikato and Otago.

New Zealand's prison population has grown to about 7000 in the past 12 months because of changes to sentencing and parole laws.

The numbers were "considerably higher" than a year ago and "hugely up" on two years ago, Mr Swain said.

The rise has outstripped the supply of beds and prisoners have been held in unsuitable police and court cells.

The pressure was expected to ease with the new beds and the usual pre-Christmas release of inmates.

Mr Swain said the aim was to cut reoffending from the present one in four inmates being back in jail within two years to one in five.

This would cut 350 inmates from the national muster or a jail about the size of the new one at Ngawha.

The Government planned to put a reintegration officer in every prison.

This person would liaise with job, health and housing agencies to get released inmates into jobs and housing as soon as possible to reduce their chances of reoffending.

A pilot project at Waikeria prison where inmates obtained their heavy traffic licences could be extended nationwide.

New Zealand had the second-highest imprisonment rate in the world behind the United States so "we want to ensure they don't come back and don't come here in the first place.

"There are huge cost savings in keeping people out of prison.

"The present reintegration programmes are a bit patchy."

In addition to the two new units at Hawke's Bay prison , a health centre, administration centre and unit for at-risk inmates will open before the end of the year.

Mr Swain said $125 million had been budgeted for the expansion of existing prisons and $700 million for the new prisons.

- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY