Jail bed crisis to worsen

The number of inmates being held in police or court cells may soar to a record 250 a night this year, before new beds come on stream to relieve the crisis.

It was revealed yesterday 11 inmates held in Wellington police cells had embarked on a hunger strike to protest against the conditions they were being kept in.

The men were moved to a prison yesterday, as Corrections Minister Paul Swain moved to reassure the public the situation would not continue indefinitely.

An extra 670 beds would be available by October to enable the department to manage a record number of inmates and 80 of those would be ready by June, he said.

But if muster forecasts - currently slightly higher than actual numbers - pan out, the number of inmates being kept in prison and courts cells will continue to rise until the beds arrive.

Locked up

* 6956 inmates in prison cells

* 146 in police cells

* 52 in court cells.