The death of a 37-year-old man at Christchurch Prison will be the subject of two separate investigations.
The inmate was found dead in his cell on Sunday.
Regional manager of South Island Prisons Paul Monk described the incident as tragic and said the inmate's family had been advised.
The Prison Chaplain and local cultural representatives were at the prison last night and would continue to provide support and counselling to inmates and staff.
"Deaths in custody are rare, and although our staff have been thoroughly trained to deal with the situation it is still extremely distressing," said Mr Monk.
The death is to be investigated by the Department of Corrections Inspectorate, which probes all deaths in custody and acts independently of the Public Prisons Service. An investigating officer from the Office of the Ombudsman will assist this investigation in a monitoring role.
The death will also be the subject of a Coroner's inquest.
- CHRISTCHURCH STAR
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