Specified visitors can be either a group or an individual (other than staff members) approved by the Chief Executive (or their delegate) to visit one or more prisons to:
provide spiritual or religious instruction or guidance to prisoners
address the cultural or other specific needs of a prisoner
mediate in a dispute involving prisoners
assist a prisoner with preparation for a disciplinary hearing
assist with the preparation or resolution of a complaint by a prisoner.
All general manager custodial approvals must state the purpose or purposes of the visit(s).
All approvals must state any conditions imposed on that approval, and the duration of that approval. Applications that are declined or have conditions are able to be reviewed by the Deputy Commissioner.
Visits by specified visitors require prior notice to the prison management for security, safety and administrative reasons. Specified visitors (individual or group) may visit a prison and have access to prisoners and staff members at any time if the visit is consistent with the approved purpose of the visit and the conditions approved.
On entering the prison, specified visitors may be required to provide identification to staff, and will be asked if they have any item in their possession that might be unauthorised. The normal provisions relating to the inspection and seizure of such items will apply.
Visits or interviews between prisoners and specified visitors will be held in an area that allows the visit to be supervised but is out of hearing of any other person, unless the prisoner or the visitor asks for a staff member to be present.
Written permission is required before a specified visitor can trade with a prisoner, or enter into any arrangement that gives, or is intended to give, any person any kind of benefit.
Specified visitors must not receive any money, gratuities, rewards, gifts or benefits of any kind from, or on behalf of, a prisoner unless it is has been approved by the general manager custodial.
The general manager custodial must approve in writing before any money from another person to buy a prisoner a gift or an item of permitted property asked for by the prisoner or the other person; or a gift or benefit other than money before it is received.
Koha will only be offered with regard to services that are requested by the general manager custodial.
Each prison must ensure that it has arrangements in place with approved adults who are specified visitors, and who are willing and available to accompany private visitors under the age of 16 years who do not have a parent, guardian or other adult to accompany them into the prison.
V.02.R05.02 Spiritual or religious instructions
The general manager custodial may authorise a person who visits a prison to provide spiritual or religious instruction or guidance to prisoners to bring into a prison wine or other alcohol for the purpose of administering to the Eucharist, Holy Communion, Mass or Communion, to prisoners attending as part of the religious service.
The wine used for the purpose of administering the Eucharist, Holy Communion, Mass, or Communion, or other religious ritual as part of the religious service must not be stored within the prison, and it must be either:
removed at the end of the religious service or
disposed of on site (e.g. contents of wine receptacle poured into a drain).
V.02.R05.03 Variation to conditions
The Chief Executive (or their delegate) or the general manager custodial, whichever of the two issued the approval, may suspend, vary or add any conditions, or revoke the approval.
Specified visitors must be notified in writing of any suspension or variation of conditions, or any additional conditions, or revocation of the approval by the Chief Executive (or their delegate) or general manager custodial, whichever of the two is taking the action.
V.02.R05.04 Review of declined application or conditions of approved application
A specified visitor may seek a review of any application that has been declined or of any conditions detailed in an approved application by emailing or writing to the Deputy Commissioner of Custodial Services at:
Email to CS Helpdesk@Corrections.govt.nz (preferred); or
Post to: Deputy Commissioner Department of Corrections Private Box 1206 Wellington 6140
The specified visitor seeking the review will need to include the name of the prison and any other information you wish to provide that mitigates or clarifies the reasons for the declining of your application.
