A cross-party letter to the Australian PM condemning his country's treatment of Kiwis detained on Christmas Island is to be presented in Sydney today.

Among young offenders, the rate of reconviction within five years after release is 91 per cent, much of which happens within the first 12 to 24 months, writes Jarrod Gilbert.

A change to the rules which give media access to prison inmates is being considered.

A prisoner has raped a woman while on a release to work programme, sparking a major internal probe by Corrections.

The alleged rape of a transgender inmate has Corrections signaling a possible change to the way the prison system deals with those identifying as a different gender.

A prisoner has died after a day on life support following a self-harm incident in Mt Eden prison, the Herald has learned.

The transgender community says the inmate is not getting enough support and needs better protection.

Labour says private prison company Serco must be booted out after an alleged rape in a jail.

A female psychologist who counselled a prison inmate and, after he was released from jail, began a sexual relationship with him, now faces possible disciplinary proceedings.

An increasing number of at-risk prisoners are being put in segregation.

A man who allegedly breached his parole conditions by removing his electronic monitoring bracelet and fleeing his Wellington address has been caught by police.

Allegations of prison fight clubs and other violence at Mt Eden Corrections Facility are "shocking" the boss of prison operator Serco says.

Corrections will apologise to Jade Follett following a revelation her transfer request went nowhere when a staff member went on leave.

Serco and other private companies have no place running New Zealand prisons, a majority of voters believe.

A serious assault at Mt Eden prison saw an inmate's arm broken at the elbow and spun like a windmill - a case which Serco failed to report.

The Department of Corrections is defending its position on transgender prisoners, as an advocate group threatens a hunger strike.

Revelations that a Serco prison officer instructed inmates on fighting technique show management was "completely shambolic", Labour says.

A former assistant director at then Serco-run Mt Eden Prison disputed a report in yesterday's Herald that he was dismissed for refusing to take a workplace drug test

Footage of the incident was discovered as part of a review into the prison being carried out after allegations of fight clubs between inmates and drug smuggling.

John Key has admitted he was surprised to find out there are 18 prisoners who have "slipped" their electronic monitoring bracelets currently on the loose.

Embarrassment for the Department of Corrections after fugitive paedophile Daniel Livingstone.

Expanding electronic monitoring of offenders could be at the expense of their rehabilitation in the community, a justice reformer says.

Additional staff have been brought in to Mt Eden prison since Corrections stepped in to run the jail last month, the department has confirmed.

The Government is right to press ahead with plans to extend the use of electronic monitoring of offenders. But they are far from infallible.

Labour MP Kelvin Davis visits criminals at Paremoremo prison to collect further stories about inmates' treatment at Mt Eden Corrections Facility.

Following two high-profile cases of child sex abusers breaching GPS-tracking conditions, the Government says it will expand the use of electronic monitoring.

A murderer serving a life sentence at Auckland Prison in Paremoremo developed such an infatuation for a Corrections officer he had her name tattooed across his chest.

An Auckland man facing a raft of drugs, weapons and money laundering charges appeared in court this morning for a bail application.

Winston Peters has defended embattled Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, saying he is partly qualified for the job because he is Samoan.

A crowd of about 100 protesters have gathered outside Auckand's Mt Eden Corrections Facility today against the privitisation of jails.