I hear a few horror stories coming out of Auckland woman’s prison, mainly due to the massive overcrowding there, the tensions, stresses and complete failure to provide adequate resources that creates.
But what’s going on in E unit has got to be one of the worst because of the muster pressure. The women are only getting un-locked x 2 hours a day, due to Corrections running three separate regimes in the one unit. Youths, remands, accused and sentenced – none of whom can lawfully be unlocked with each other.
The fact that they have woman vs. child offenders, including extremely violent ones (including those that have committed a range of serious sex crimes) being housed with youths, together- rather than separate, should be of concern to all of us.
I shudder to think of the quality of “mentoring” that these young girls are receiving.
Arthur Taylor is TDBs Prisoner rights blogger currently inside prison.
