Search for youth prison site extended

A working group set up to select a site to house a youth prison in the central North Island has extended its search period by up to two months.

More than two dozen sites have been put forward to the group, including some outside the published site search area.

Group chairman Gordon Blake said the positive response had provided a range of options for the group to consider.

"The group will continue to look for sites as offers are still coming forward and the group does not wish to preclude such offers from consideration."

Child Youth and Family has announced Rotorua is one of the areas in which it is looking for a possible site for the prison.

Some sites have also been eliminated from the process because they do not meet the site selection guidelines as adequately as others.

"In fairness to the owners who have offered such sites, we decided not to keep them under consideration and those owners will be notified accordingly."

The group has requested a report on the Waikato/Bay of Plenty region workforce to help it in its considerations.

"Youth justice residences are staff intensive and require quite a large number of specialised skills," Mr Blake said. "It's important that Youth Justice Central is within reach of a workforce with the desired skills and qualifications."

The group meets again in mid-to-late May to consider the remaining existing sites and any further sites that have been put forward.

"We are keeping all local authorities informed of our progress," said Mr Blake.

The Minister responsible for Child Youth and Family, Ruth Dyson, would either be given a shortlist or one recommended site.

If the working party's recommendations were not confirmed within the next four or five months, it was likely the matter would not be dealt with until after the general election.

The site selection will be followed by public consultation and building is expected to start by the middle of next year.

Youth Justice Central will be a secure youth justice facility for up to 24 young people aged between 14 and 16 on a supervision with residence order or who have been remanded in custody.

Waikato and Bay of Plenty young people sentenced to supervision with residence are presently sent out of the district, away from their families.

The lack of youth justice facilities in the region also means many young people remanded in custody are being held in police cells, alongside adult offenders.

The new facility will enable residents that come from the Waikato and Bay of Plenty to stay close to their families, aiding the rehabilitation process.

It will be the fourth purpose-built facility of its kind.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)