6. ALLAN PEACHEY (National—Tāmaki) Link to this
to the Minister of Corrections
What reports has she received about the first year of container units being used in New Zealand prisons?
Hon JUDITH COLLINS (Minister of Corrections) Link to this
I am pleased to report that New Zealand’s first prison unit constructed out of second-hand shipping containers is outperforming all expectations. The unit, which was 30 percent cheaper to build than comparable traditionally built units, houses 60 prisoners at Rimutaka Prison. In its first year of operation the number of incidents within the container unit has been significantly lower than in standard units. There have been no incidents involving drugs, alcohol, cellphones, or weapons, and there have been no assaults on staff. Maintenance costs for the unit are 34 percent lower than expected, and vandalism is extremely low.
Hon JUDITH COLLINS Link to this
The department will now conduct a full evaluation of the unit and consider how containers can be used further in the New Zealand prison environment. However, given their speed of construction and flexibility in terms of design, the department has developed up to nine different layout configurations, including multi-storey options, that could be used in future. Container cells could also be used for other purposes—for example, to provide a low-cost option for adding audiovisual links between prisons and the courts. The container unit is attracting a lot of interest, including from corrections operators in other countries that are keen to learn from our success in this area.