Whanganui Prison has had no face-to-face visits since January. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Whanganui Prison has had no face-to-face visits since January. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Staffing shortages have meant Whanganui prisoners have gone nine months without face-to-face visits.
Visits were stopped at all prisons in January as part of Covid-19 health measures but have since resumed at the majority of the country's prisons.
Minister of Corrections Kelvin Davis says they are expected to resume atthe Kaitoke facility next month.
Department of Corrections deputy national commissioner Leigh Marsh said as well as the shortages, other factors included staff illness or injury, and secondments to other prisons.
"Every decision we make is about ensuring our prisons continue to operate safely and securely."
He said the prison still provided access to phones with a $5 weekly phone card, audio-visual link (AVL) where available, and postal, courier and email communication in line with the legally privileged correspondence and documents processes.
Kelvin Davis says there is no time advantage in bringing in overseas prison officers they are still required to undertake three months of training when they arrive. Photo / NZME
"Staff know it has been extremely hard for people not able to see their loved ones and are working incredibly hard to resume visits as quickly as possible while ensuring staff, people in prison and any visitors are safe," Marsh said.
Marsh said Corrections was actively working to recruit new officers across the country and had received over 1400 applications over the past three months.
Face-to-face visits have since been resumed at 11 of New Zealand's 18 prisons.
The National Party's Corrections spokesperson Simon O'Connor said prisons needed to put more focus on staffing.
"When you're short hundreds of staff members across the country, it makes prisoner visits exceptionally difficult," O'Connor said.
"In January there were 116 visitors to Whanganui Prison, and since then there has been none.
"I did prison chaplaincy many years ago and I can tell you, not seeing their families adds to their tension and I would argue it adds to increased violence and damage in prisons."
He said it was unacceptable from a human rights, legal and moral perspective.
Legally every prisoner is entitled to at least one 30-minute visit each week, which can be denied on security or health and safety grounds.
"It's a matter of urgency now and a lot of it comes down to the Government's immigration settings."
He said the rules were currently tight on who could come into the country, and they needed to ease in order to get more overseas workers in as Corrections officers.
Davis said it took three months to train a Corrections officer.
"Simon O'Connor's claims that overseas workers should be brought in to solve the problem show how poor his understanding of Corrections is," Davis said.
"Overseas prison officers are still required to undertake the same amount of training when they arrive as new recruits, meaning there is no time advantage.
"Regardless, Corrections has ramped up recruiting with job applications at record levels and I am expecting to see this problem ease as more staff begin work."
Simon O'Connor said no face-to-face visits for people in prison was unacceptable from a human rights, legal and moral perspective. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Prisoners Aid and Rehabilitation Service (PARS) Trust Whanganui manager Steve Treloar said Corrections was between a rock and a hard place.
"Normally I'm diametrically opposed to many things Corrections does, but this time I've got some sympathy," Treloar said.
"They've got statutory requirements of humane confinement to keep people safe and healthy."
PARS is an organisation providing support and reintegration services to offenders and their families.
"I have thought about how this could change and be made better, and there is no better solution to the problem.
"There are no two ways about it, the prisoners are missing out and the family and particularly the children are missing out, but there are restrictions."
He said prisons had many people in confined spaces who needed the minimum requirements of fresh air and exercise, which was very difficult to manage with a pandemic.
Professional teaching fellow at the Institute of Criminology at Victoria University of Wellington Awatea Mita said she could certainly see the bind Corrections was in.
Visits at Whanganui Prison are expected to resume next month. Photo / NZME
"However, this is a critical issue for the well-being of the people in prison and their families. This is the time to seek creative solutions," Mita said.
"For people in prison, prolonged disconnection from their families has serious negative impacts on their mental health and can negatively alter their behaviour in prison, which can also impact their rehabilitation efforts and rehabilitation status," Mita said.
"When a person feels connected to their family and community, they are less likely to engage in behaviour that compromises those bonds and rehabilitation becomes a meaningful way to demonstrate commitment to a pro-social pathway."
She said for their families, it was added punishment and children were the invisible victims when contact with their parents could not be maintained.
"For the children, it can result in negative behaviours and disrupt their development."
She said this could mean their educational achievements and opportunities suffer.
