Prison Inspection Report Released For Mount Eden Corrections Facility
MECF, in central Auckland, housed around 1,100 prisoners at the time of the inspection (October 2024), 95% of whom were on remand. It was a busy site with, on average, 600 prisoners arriving and leaving each month.
Chief Inspector Janis Adair said the inspection found: 'Leadership at the site was generally stable and settled. Staff, including custodial and health staff, mostly had the skills and knowledge to do their jobs.'
Many staff, however, had less than two years' experience working in a New Zealand prison, and many had English as a second language. Some of these staff struggled to understand cultural differences in New Zealand.
The custodial team was also short-staffed and, partly due to this, most prisoners were subject to restrictive regimes, spending around 22 hours a day locked in their cells.
MECF was providing opportunities for prisoners to engage with their families/whānau, including regular in-person visits.
The inspection team found examples of positive practice, including one unit being run as an alcohol and drug recovery unit, providing a rehabilitation programme and other mental health and addiction focused sessions.
The Property Office had a selection of good-quality clothes and shoes, donated by the charity Common (previously known as Koha Apparel), for people being released from prison who had nothing suitable to wear.
Adair said the prison was 'a stark and austere environment with no green spaces, limited natural light and few outdoor areas. This makes it a challenging environment for both staff and prisoners.' Most prisoners and staff said they felt safe, but many prisoners did not feel safe in mainstream units.
Most prisoners did not have jobs, and there were limited educational, cultural (such as tikanga courses or kapa haka) or constructive activities available. Prisoners told us they were bored, stressed and frustrated.
The health team provided good levels of care, generally in a timely manner, although some prisoners waited unreasonable lengths of time to see a nurse or medical officer.
We found some good practice in the management of prisoners with mental health issues, but prisoners in the Intervention and Support Unit (including some with serious mental illnesses), were effectively being denied association (that is, being able to mix with others). For some, this likely amounted to prolonged solitary confinement, as this is defined in the Mandela Rules.
The report makes 31 over-arching findings.
'I expect the site to create an action plan to address the findings of this report ... I look forward to working with the site as I continue to monitor progress,' said Adair.
The Inspectorate is a critical part of the independent oversight of the Corrections system and operates under the Corrections Act 2004 and the Corrections Regulations 2005. The Inspectorate, while part of Corrections, is operationally independent, which is necessary to ensure objectivity and integrity.
The inspection process provides an ongoing insight into prisons and provides assurance that shortcomings are identified and addressed in a timely way, and that examples of good practice are acknowledged and shared across the prison network.
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Scoop
12 hours ago
- Scoop
Prison Inspection Report Released For Mount Eden Corrections Facility
The Office of the Inspectorate today (Wed 20 Aug) released its inspection report for Mount Eden Corrections Facility (MECF). MECF, in central Auckland, housed around 1,100 prisoners at the time of the inspection (October 2024), 95% of whom were on remand. It was a busy site with, on average, 600 prisoners arriving and leaving each month. Chief Inspector Janis Adair said the inspection found: 'Leadership at the site was generally stable and settled. Staff, including custodial and health staff, mostly had the skills and knowledge to do their jobs.' Many staff, however, had less than two years' experience working in a New Zealand prison, and many had English as a second language. Some of these staff struggled to understand cultural differences in New Zealand. The custodial team was also short-staffed and, partly due to this, most prisoners were subject to restrictive regimes, spending around 22 hours a day locked in their cells. MECF was providing opportunities for prisoners to engage with their families/whānau, including regular in-person visits. The inspection team found examples of positive practice, including one unit being run as an alcohol and drug recovery unit, providing a rehabilitation programme and other mental health and addiction focused sessions. The Property Office had a selection of good-quality clothes and shoes, donated by the charity Common (previously known as Koha Apparel), for people being released from prison who had nothing suitable to wear. Adair said the prison was 'a stark and austere environment with no green spaces, limited natural light and few outdoor areas. This makes it a challenging environment for both staff and prisoners.' Most prisoners and staff said they felt safe, but many prisoners did not feel safe in mainstream units. Most prisoners did not have jobs, and there were limited educational, cultural (such as tikanga courses or kapa haka) or constructive activities available. Prisoners told us they were bored, stressed and frustrated. The health team provided good levels of care, generally in a timely manner, although some prisoners waited unreasonable lengths of time to see a nurse or medical officer. We found some good practice in the management of prisoners with mental health issues, but prisoners in the Intervention and Support Unit (including some with serious mental illnesses), were effectively being denied association (that is, being able to mix with others). For some, this likely amounted to prolonged solitary confinement, as this is defined in the Mandela Rules. The report makes 31 over-arching findings. 'I expect the site to create an action plan to address the findings of this report ... I look forward to working with the site as I continue to monitor progress,' said Adair. The Inspectorate is a critical part of the independent oversight of the Corrections system and operates under the Corrections Act 2004 and the Corrections Regulations 2005. The Inspectorate, while part of Corrections, is operationally independent, which is necessary to ensure objectivity and integrity. The inspection process provides an ongoing insight into prisons and provides assurance that shortcomings are identified and addressed in a timely way, and that examples of good practice are acknowledged and shared across the prison network. Note:
RNZ News
14 hours ago
- RNZ News
62% of Mt Eden prisoners in voluntary segregation, watchdog says many feel unsafe
Mt Eden Corrections Facility. Photo: RNZ / Tim Watkin Staffing shortages, prisoners feeling unsafe and limited rehabilitation activities were among a raft of issues found by an inspection report into the country's main remand prison for men - Auckland's Mt Eden Corrections Facility. The report was released on Wednesday by the Office of the Inspectorate, which is part of Corrections but holds independent oversight of the corrections system. The announced inspections were conducted throughout October 2024. Over a six-month review period, 127 prisoners and 142 staff members, union members and service providers were interviewed one-on-one. At the time of the inspection, the facility had 1100 prisoners, of whom 95 percent were on remand. It received an average of 600 new prisoners each month. The average length of time people spent on remand nationwide was 89 days - according to Corrections' estimates from 2023/2024. The report found the prison had about 506 custodial staff at the time, and was short of about 76 custodial staff. Many staff had less than two years' experience working in a New Zealand prison. Chief Inspector Janis Adair said, partly due to this, "most prisoners were subject to restrictive regimes, spending around 22 hours a day locked in their cells ". She said while most prisoners and staff reported feeling safe, many did not feel safe in shared mainstream units. The report found 62 percent of prisoners at the facility were in voluntary segregation - reflecting that many did not feel safe in shared units. A significant number of prisoners said they had to remain vigilant when out of their cells, and some said they seldom left their cells due to safety concerns, the report said. "Despite the site's focus on reducing violence and aggression, there were some issues with bullying and prisoner-on-prisoner assaults," the report said. The inspectorate also found evidence that cell intercom calls sometimes were not answered by staff, which made prisoners feel their safety was at risk in the event of an emergency. The limited rehabilitation opportunities was another area noted in the report. "There were limited educational, cultural (such as tikanga courses or kapa haka) or constructive activities available. Prisoners told us they were bored, stressed and frustrated," Adair said. Non-custodial staff, such as case managers, education tutors and mental health staff, found it challenging to access prisoners, possibly also due to the shortage of custodial staff, the report said. Meanwhile, release planning for prisoners was also found to be lacking. "We heard it was not uncommon for prisoners to be released immediately after sentencing due to having already served their time on remand, "This meant some prisoners had nowhere to go on release as case managers had not been able to arrange any accommodation for them before sentencing. "If prisoners had no accommodation, we heard they were sent to the Community Corrections site across the road from MECF to ask for assistance there," the report said. The inspectorate said it understood that the Ministry of Social Development was not currently offering emergency accommodation to single men, as families were being prioritised. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
18 hours ago
- NZ Herald
‘Final act of violence': Mum killed by partner in suspected murder-suicide
She kicked off 2024 by getting her driver's licence and, by April, she started her own cleaning business. 'We were so proud of her,' her brother Dean Puhi says. 'She was finding herself and for the first time in a long time you could see her joy returning.' Then, in August last year, the unthinkable happened. Maxine was found dead inside her Tūrangi home – as was her partner. It can now be revealed the deaths are being treated as a suspected murder-suicide. A non-publication order prevents RNZ from making public the name of Maxine's partner. Speaking for the first time, Maxine's brother says her partner isolated, controlled and abused her. 'In the final act of violence he took her life.' Maxine Puhi was a mother-of-two. Photo / Supplied 'A childlike innocence' Maxine Puhi showed her 'strength and resilience' from a young age, Dean says. She grew up apart from her two brothers and lived with her mother, who suffered from mental illness. Eventually, she had to live with her aunty and uncle. Maxine was proud of her Māori heritage, and was fluent in te reo before she learned English. 'Maxine was the kind of person who lit up every room with her smile,' Dean says. '[She] carried a childlike innocence, open-hearted, trusting and full of hope.' When she was 19 she met her partner, then in his mid-30s. The couple had two children together. Dean says Maxine worked 'extremely hard' for her family. 'She poured every ounce of herself into building a better life for her two young children. She worked hard, dreamed big and never stopped trying to grow.' The couple's relationship was marred by years of 'isolation, control and abuse', Dean says. 'He slowly started revealing his true nature over time. 'He cut her off from her whānau, limiting visits and phone calls. As the years went by the calls got less. He would call us when he got drunk and abuse us. It became the norm. Maxine hid a lot from us out of fear and embarrassment, but we knew what was going on to some degree.' RNZ has obtained court documents in relation to an incident in 2018 involving Maxine and her partner. At the time the couple had been together five years and Maxine was the only person with a fulltime job earning wages. The documents say the couple got into a 'heated argument' in the master bedroom. This progressed into the kitchen where, during a scuffle, Maxine hit her head on the kitchen bench counter, causing an injury to the side of her head. She then jumped out the window and ran to a neighbour's house who called Healthline, who then called police. When spoken to by police, the partner admitted they got into an argument and said he was tired as he had just finished community work that day and did not want to break up with Maxine. He admitted it was his fault. Maxine Puhi lit up every room with her smile, her brother says. Photo / Supplied 'I couldn't save mum' Dean spoke to his sister in June 2024. She'd just looked after her other brother's newborn for the night and was telling him how much she'd enjoyed having him stay and introducing the baby to her own children. It was the last time the pair would talk. Two months later, Dean received a call to say his sister was dead. Instantly, he suspected her partner was responsible. 'We knew it was him,' he says. 'He took her life violently, so brutally that her casket couldn't be open … Maxine never had a chance.' According to court documents, on the evening of August 14 last year, police received a call to say Maxine was being beaten up by her partner. Police were told Maxine's partner had video-called his mother asking her to pick up the couple's children. He reportedly said he had done something bad and appeared to have facial injuries. Maxine could be heard screaming in the background. The partner later called 111 and said there had been a double homicide and asked police to come to his home before giving the phone to his son and telling him to go to his room and close the door. Police arrived at the couple's home just after 10pm and found the couple dead. Dean vividly recalls his nephew telling him: 'I couldn't save mum.' 'Her children carry that trauma with them, something no child should have to bear. 'We felt the grief hit heavy and dark, the rage, guilt was endless, we just felt so powerless. I don't think this kind of pain will leave us.' Maxine Puhi had started her own cleaning business months before her death. Photo / Supplied Criminal past revealed Shortly after Maxine's death, Dean and his wife Tenniel and other relatives returned to her home to collect some of her belongings. While they were there, they discovered a sheet of paper with all of her partner's criminal convictions, including sexual offending. Dean says the family knew he had been in trouble with the law before, including aggravated burglary and assault, but were not aware of any other offending. 'We were extremely appalled.' RNZ obtained several parole reports for Maxine's partner, who was jailed for five years and three months in 2008 for sexual connection with a 14-year-old girl, assault with intent to rob and burglary. A psychological report before his release deemed he remained at 'high risk of further sexual offending'. He confirmed to the Parole Board that he had no difficulties with the eight special conditions of release set out in the parole assessment report. Upon his release he was to remain subject to standard parole conditions for six months, including the special conditions. 'We will never stop missing her' Dean believes his sister didn't leave her partner out of fear and also because of their two children. 'She just didn't know how to leave, she felt trapped.' Maxine's partner's mother declined to comment when approached by RNZ. In June, a coroner's court spokesperson confirmed to RNZ the coroner would be treating the case as a suspected murder-suicide. The coroner then informed both families of their rights when it came to applying for non-publication orders. Neither family had applied for one in the 10 months prior. The family of Maxine's partner then submitted an application to prevent the media from publishing his name and Maxine's. Maxine's family opposed the application. Tenniel and Dean wrote to the coroner and said suppressing Maxine's name 'silences her voice and minimises what had been done to her'. 'The Puhi whānau choose truth and transparency over silence and suppression.' They said publishing what happened prevented 'harmful and false narratives'. RNZ also opposed the orders prohibiting the publishing of Maxine and her partner's names. Maxine Puhi's family hope telling her story will help others reach out for help. Photo / Supplied In a decision, released to RNZ on Friday, Coroner Donna Llewell said it would be 'futile' to order a non-publication of Maxine's name given it had been published previously. 'I also acknowledge the strong submissions from the Puhi whānau that they want her story and name in the public arena.' However, she granted a non-publication order in respect of her partner's name. The order is interim, and would continue until the conclusion of her inquiry which would be between 18-24 months. Tenniel says it's 'frustrating' that Maxine's partner's name cannot be published for now. 'We know her story isn't his. It's hers and nothing can change the truth. Maxine's whānau will never erase who Maxine was. She will always be remembered. Hopefully telling her story can help others to reach out for help even if it's hard it can save your life.' The whānau have spent a lot of time over the past year examining Maxine and her partner's relationship, searching for answers, Tenniel says. 'Could I have done more, checked in on her more, picked up on the red flags more. All you want is to protect those you love and, in our case, we were powerless to what was going on.' She said he hit Maxine on several occasions. 'We think he felt like he was losing his control over her. She was flourishing, started her own business, got her driver's licence, doing more for herself. Growing her new business. He brought nothing to the table. She was financially supporting the household. All this would have affected his ego. We believe he was a narcissist that had to have the last say.' She recalls seeing her husband and other whānau after they saw Maxine in her casket. 'They were motionless, some needed air, nobody had words. I just remember being held tight by my husband. All he said in my ear was 'it's bad don't go in'. 'I can't imagine what she went through, the pain, the fear, the disbelief that somebody she loved could be doing this to her. She would have been thinking of her children, if they would be safe. It chokes us up to think of her pain and her last moments were in fear fighting for her life.' She believes there are a lot of women 'suffering in silence'. 'If women experience any form of abuse the first time, believe what you see. Really see that man for who he is and ultimately know that you can't change him and that's okay, it's not your job to. 'Know your worth, have a plan and leave before the manipulation sets in and you're repeating the cycle all over again.' The family remained in 'absolute devastation', Dean says. 'We struggle every day to accept it. 'We are so furious at [him] and so angry he stole her youth and now in his final act he took her life. He is an absolute coward. 'Maxine gave him two beautiful kids, stood by him and protected him and financially provided for the household.' Maxine was a 'beautiful, trusting soul', he says. 'She was a mother, a sister, niece, a cousin and friend. She didn't deserve her life to be cut short.' Following Maxine's death, Tenniel wrote a tribute to her sister-in-law. It ended with a clear message. 'Maxine deserved so much more: more years, more love, more laughter. Her children deserved their mum. We will never stop missing her. Her light was stolen too soon, but we will keep it alive by telling her story and speaking the truth. We Love you, Maxine. You will never be forgotten.'
