New Zealand’s prison population has increased by 700 this year - enough inmates to fill a new medium-sized prison. Department of Corrections chief executive Ray Smith revealed the number in the department’s annual report released yesterday. ‘‘Over the last year, we employed over 1000 new front-line staff to ensure we can safely and securely manage the offender population,’’ Mr Smith revealed. Mr Smith also revealed in the report there was only one unnatural death in prison in the 2016-17 year — a suicide. ‘‘All five of these people were apprehended and returned to custody.’’When it came to contraband, Corrections had ‘‘successful reduced prisoner access’’, Mr Smith said.

Source: Otago Daily Times October 30, 2017 20:26 UTC