First inspection of prison unit for high-risk prisoners released – Bureau of the Inspectorate

The Bureau of Inspection has published an inspection report on the Department of Corrections’ Prisoners of Extreme Risk Unit (PERU) located at Auckland Prison.

PERU houses prisoners who are considered by the prisons to be high risk. Some of them pose a very high risk of violence and others are involved in transnational organized crime.

“I recognise that these men require additional measures to be managed safely,” said Chief Inspector Janis Adair.

“Despite this, we found the conditions in PERU to be excessive and unnecessarily restrictive. We found that all the men spent most of their time alone in their cells.

“None of the men interacted with other prisoners and there were few interventions that provided meaningful human interaction or constructive activities.

“Some men had spent months or years in these conditions, which probably amounted to prolonged solitary confinement.

“We found that many prisoners did not know what they could do, if anything, to get out of PERU and into a less restrictive regime.

“We found that the isolation and despair experienced by the men was raised as a concern by mental health providers.

Ms Adair said she expected Corrections to take steps to provide these men with more meaningful human interaction and constructive activities. She also expected Corrections to implement a robust assurance framework to provide assurances to PERU decision makers and also to the men.

“I hope that this report and its findings provide important insights for the prison service to consider how it can safely and securely manage the prisoners it considers to be at greatest risk, while paying appropriate attention to the impact of such a highly restrictive regime that separates individuals from others for extended periods of time.”

The announced inspection took place in July 2023. The report contains 12 findings, to which Corrections has responded, stating that the findings will inform the work programme to ensure continuous improvement in the unit. Corrections’ response is attached to the report.

The inspection process provides ongoing insight into prisons and provides assurance that shortcomings are identified and addressed in a timely manner, and that examples of good practice are recognised and shared across the prison network. Inspections are carried out using inspection standards, which guide inspectors in making independent and objective assessments of prisoner treatment and prison conditions.

The Inspectorate is a key part of the independent oversight of the prison system and operates under the Corrections Act 2004 and the Corrections Regulations 2005. Although part of the prison service, the Inspectorate is operationally independent, which is necessary to ensure objectivity and integrity.

Here is a video of Chief Inspector Janis Adair speaking about the report.

Please note: This report does not, and is not intended to, investigate or report on the management of any particular individual in PERU.