You have permission!

We live hours away from the prison and I had hung out for this visit. Being so far away we don’t get to visit often. After waiting in the queue at the reception desk I approached the counter, smiled and said my name and who I had come to see. The woman looked at the computer then back at me and said calmly, ‘You don’t have a visit booked in.’

I felt the stares of everyone in the room piercing my back. I knew they were uncomfortable. I could feel the tension in the room growing as I stood there.

I know I had a visit booked! I had spent ages on the phone trying to organise a special visit (meaning a double visit) due to living so far away. Three days ago the manager had phoned me back and said it was all organised. And now, my visit was no longer in the system! Frustration was putting it mildly after driving for hours that morning, and now knowing I wouldn’t be seeing my son again for a long time.

The woman at the desk tried to be helpful. She apologised and told that unfortunately nothing could be done. No visit was going to happen that day. I could make another appointment though.

Only someone who has had deal with the prison system knows the helplessness that you feel when things like this happen. it would have been easy to just accept the fact and walk away. Who has spare energy when faced with a system like Corrections.

But not having a visit would affect more than just me. It would also affect the person I was going to visit. You may call it stubborn, but I felt I had the right to ask for this to be fixed. I gave myself permission to remain there, with everyone watching on, and kindly asked to speak to the manager.,

Dealing with the Corrections system is difficult at the best of times. However you have a right to see wrongs that happen in the system addressed. When something doesn’t go as it should, I encourage you not to walk out that door and just say that is the prison system, nothing can work. Instead stand up! Know you have a right to good service. Use your voice for the sake of yourself and the person inside. Ask to speak to a superior!

After being firm about wanting to speak to a manager, one came. The man tried nicely to explain the challenges they had with letting me visit at this time. I told the person calmly and politely that I understood their challenges, however it was not my problem that one of his staff made a mistake in the visits system. The manager was generous enough to listen, and I offered a practical solution – the outcome, a visit was granted in a family interview room.

It may be a visit that wasn’t put in the system when you had booked it, or a document you sent in now gone missing.. Just because you have someone inside doesn’t mean you have no rights. You do have rights and you have permission to ask for resolution of issues, either at the time, or through avenues such as the Department of Corrections, or the Ombudsman where all else fails.

You may not always get what you should, but remember, mistakes will continue to be made, and there will be little change for the better unless we all support each other to stand strong and use our voice when we need to!

Auckland South Corrections Facility (Kohuora) useful information

Auckland South Corrections Facility is also known as Kohuora, or commonly called Wiri Prison.

You can find good information to help you when you have someone inside at Kohuora on the Auckland South Corrections Facility website.  This includes information on contacting a person, visiting, what it is like inside Kohuora, how to put money into a prisoners account, and a video clip on supporting a person in the facility.

An information booklet on Kohuora is also available here

Contact Details

Address:

Physical address:
21 Kiwi Tamaki Road (off Roscommon Road)
Wiri
Auckland 2104

To locate on google maps click here

Postal address:
Private Bag 94065
Auckland 2241

Phone:  +64 9 250 5900

Organisations that can support you in Auckland

Te Pa (used to be called PARS) provides practical assistance to prisoners, ex-prisoners and their whanau in Auckland

Pillars  (Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou) is a charity that actively supports the tamariki and whānau of people in prison or those serving a community-based sentence.

There are other New Zealand wide organisations that may also be able to provide support.  Click here to be taken to the New Zealand Support Organisations page.

Life Inside

See inside Wiri’s new prison

New prison opens in South Auckland

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Auckland Prison (Paremoremo) useful information

Auckland Prison (Paremoremo) useful information

Contact Details

Address:

Physical address:
Paremoremo Road
Paremoremo
Auckland 0632

To locate on google maps click here

Postal address:
Private Bag 50124
Albany, North Shore
Auckland 0752

Phone:  (09) 442 6600

Email

You are able to email a person located at Auckland Prison.  The email address is eprisonerauckland@corrections.govt.nz

In the subject line type in the person’s full name and their Person Record Number (PRN) if you have this. same number is used each time a person goes to prison.

All emails are read prior to being given to the person.  There are strict rules on language and content i.e. no swear words, no gang related content.  Any email that does not meet the criteria will not be given to the person inside.  A warning will also be sent to you that states if they find further inappropriate content on other emails from you then you will no longer be allowed to send emails.

Please note the person inside cannot email you back.

Mailing Address

To write to someone in Auckland Prison, address the envelope as per below.

Prisoner’s Name, PRN
Private Bag 50124
Albany, North Shore
Auckland 0752

Visits

People inside Auckland Prison are entitled to:

1 x 2 hour visit with up to 3 adults (Adult Visits).

1 x 2 hour visit with up to 3 adults and up to 5 children (Family Visits).

Visits to Auckland prison are only on the weekend from 8:30 am until 4:00 pm. Visits may sometimes be organised during the week.  If you need to arrange this (i.e. travelling from out of town) please talk to the staff.  If you cannot travel to Auckland Prison, a video link may be arranged if approved by staff where you can attend a Corrections centre (i.e. probation centre) in your area.

The Wahi Patai (visitor’s centre) is open from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. To book a visit call 0800 256 566
Please note that bookings for weekend visits must be made by 4 pm on the Wednesday before.

When visiting, visitors must have a visit time booked with the prison and a letter from the prison confirming this time. Visitors will be asked by staff to produce a form of identification i.e. passport, birth certificate.

Any children or young person under 18 years of age must be with an approved adult visitor.  You will need to show your Child Visitor Approval Notification letter when you sign in for the visit.

When visiting you must to be at Auckland Prison 30 minutes before hand to make sure you can get a visit. You will not be allowed a visit if you arrive too late to complete screening.

When you arrive at the prison, you need to come through the boom gate (tell the person through the speaker system at the gate that you are here for a visit. They may ask you what unit the person is in.)  When through the gate drive into the visitors car park on the right side of the road.  The Wahi Patai (visitors centre) is at the end of the car park (opposite end to the boom gate).

On arrival you check in at the reception counter in the Wahi Patai and will be given a key to lock your personal belongings in a small locker. Once you have locked your items in the locker you return the key to the counter and they will give you a plastic tag.  On leaving after the visit, you swap the plastic tag back for your key to the locker. Note the locker isn’t big so leave handbag etc in the car.

When you attend the first time you will have your photo taken and will be asked to provide a finger print.  These are used when you go through the security screening before you enter the prison visit centre.

Auckland Prison has a small cafe with hot drinks, and a small variety of food i.e. sandwiches, muffins which you can buy while you wait. Prices are reasonable.

After registering at the Wahi Patai, you will wait till all are called to go to the Kuhu Mai (Gatehouse). This is where screening takes place.  Like at an airport you remove your shoes and go through a screening booth.  Once inside and the glass door is shut you need to follow the prompts and scan your finger.  When it recognises you it will open the door on the other side.  An officer will then scan you with a wand.

There is a manea stone on the left hand side before you enter the screening booth.  There is a sign above the manea stone what says that the stone has healing properties and takes the negative energy into the mauri stone which is buried under the prison. People are encouraged to touch the manea.  You will however need to do this before you enter the screening booth as you do not come back out this way after the visit.

When all people are scanned, you are led across to the Visits centre where you will wait for a short time before being allowed into the visiting area.

As with all prisons there are rules what you can or cannot bring into the prison site.

  • No cigarettes or smoking
  • No drugs
  • No alcohol
  • No weapons
  • No dogs
  • No bags
  • No cell phones
  • No food or drink

In addition, Auckland prison does not allow people to wear any jewellery apart from a wedding ring.  It is best to leave these in your car or your locker so that you are not stopped at the screening booth.

Note: All cars including possessions and visitors entering the prison grounds for visits can be searched at any time.

Clothing

Clothing and other requested items can be dropped in to the Auckland Prison Wahi Patai when you visit for a person inside.  The clothing and items must be accompanied by a Property Form that is signed off by a Prison manager or PCO.  These will not be accepted if you do not have a Property Form. .

If you do not live in Auckland or are unable to drop items into the receiving office, you can courier or post the items to Auckland Prison.

Money

Prisoners are able to receive money into their trust account to buy items such as soap, toothpaste and other canteen supplies. The Trust account is limited to $200 and prisoners are only allowed to spend $70 per week on supplies.

Money can be deposited into the prison trust account by electronic transfer online or paid by card at reception desk when you sign in for a visit.

Electronic Transfer 

The trust bank account details are:  03-1322-0016982-00

You will need to type in the prisoners PRN and name into the reference section.

Money needs to be deposited by Wednesday for the following week’s canteen.

Phone calls

The person in prison can request approval for a set number of phone numbers that they can ring. This may take several weeks to set up. All prisoners are allowed free 10 minute calls to NZ numbers, and also overseas (up to 30 minutes per week).  Note that it can be difficult for the person to set up regular times they can phone you. Lock up hours may change due to various reasons. There may also be a queue for the phone.

Other Items

People held in Auckland Prison may also be allowed to have other items.  These have to be requested by the prisoner on a Property Form signed off by a prison manager or PCO.  Items may include:

  • a radio/CD or tape player
  •  flask
  • a fan
  • a limited number of books and magazines
  • religious material

Corrections encourages people to study as this reduces the likelihood of someone coming back to prison.  Before study can commence the prisoner needs to fill out a property form and have the study material approved before it can be sent to or delivered to Auckland Prison.

Organisations that can support you in Auckland

Te Pa (used to be called PARS) provides practical assistance to prisoners, ex-prisoners and their whanau in Auckland

Pillars (Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou) is a charity that actively supports the tamariki and whānau of people in prison or those serving a community-based sentence.

There are other New Zealand wide organisations that may also be able to provide support.  Click here to be taken to the New Zealand Support Organisations page.

Life Inside

Auckland Prison – Youtube 

Auckland Prison – an inmates view from the Inside

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