New jail's population grows by the dozen

Inmates are steadily starting to fill the country's newest prison at Ngawha, 5km northeast of Kaikohe in Northland.

There are 60 prisoners in the $132 million jail and the number will rise to 72 by the end of this week.

"That's consistent with our original plan to build the muster, settle it down and run it smoothly," said Ngawha site manager Mike Hughes.

"The best practice plan is for a slow build-up."

Ngawha prison opened on March 8 on a 190ha rural site and is committed to rehabilitation, Maori focus units and tikanga Maori programmes.

The first inmates arrived about seven weeks later.

Mr Hughes said yesterday that the present inmates were all from Northland and most future prisoners were expected to be from the region.

They are being transferred from other prisons around the North Island at Rimutaka, New Plymouth and Auckland. One man, transferred from Rimutaka, got his first visit from family in six months, said Mr Hughes.

Ngawha is now accepting inmates at the rate of 11 or 12 a week, but this may increase soon to 17 a week as the Corrections Department considers whether to speed the prisoner build-up.

The prison remained on track to fill its 350 inmate beds by October or November, but the full quota may be reached sooner depending on the pressure of numbers from the courts, said Mr Hughes.

Ngawha includes a 22ha top- security area and Mr Hughes said security procedures were "all going according to plan".

Public prisons service general manager Phil McCarthy said the safety of staff, prisoners and the local community was the key factor behind Ngawha's staggered inmate arrival.

This approach was in line with international best practice, and plans were under constant review.

Prisons filling up

* The prison at Ngawha can hold up to 350 inmates

* It is filling up at the rate of 11 or 12 a week