Dying prisoner Vicki Letele could be released in days to be with her family

A terminally ill prisoner at the centre of a battle around the right to die at home could be released in days if officials find in her favour.

The family of Vicki Letele, 35, has been pleading for the fraudster to be let out of jail early so she can be with her family.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins and Department of Corrections chief executive Ray Smith spoke specifically about the case yesterday.

"He's confirmed to me that he's expecting a report to him preferably by Thursday which will outline to him whether or not Corrections is well-placed to look after Ms Letele and whether or not they should apply to the Parole Board to get compassionate release for her," Ms Collins said.

"Only the Parole Board can release, and early, and the Parole Board obviously takes Corrections' advice and then makes its own decision."

The Minister said it was "a very difficult situation" that nobody in New Zealand would have anything other than compassion for.

"Obviously, terminal cancer, there's not much worse than that."

Collins this morning said she could not state a preference as to whether the mother-of-three should be released.

The Minister said the situation Letele was in was not "completely rare", and that the same process has been worked through for very old prisoners who are at the end of their life.

"I know there have been calls for me to release her which I have no power whatsoever to do, it's always with the Parole Board.

"We don't have the situation say in America where governors do often have these rights, we don't have those rights."

Collins said her message to Vicki Letele's family was to wait for the legal process.

"We're talking a matter of days before the chief executive gets the report, we always have to comply with the law, it has to go through the legal process.

"I'm sure that there is a great willingness for this matter to be dealt with as expeditiously as possible, and it's certainly high on the radar of Corrections, as well as myself," she said.

A protest was held outside Wiri Prison on Saturday.