The Corrections Department is standing by a highly critical report of violence within Mt Eden Corrections Facility.

The Corrections Department has told its new minister Judith Collins that it is struggling to understand why reoffending continues to rise in New Zealand.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins has strongly rejected a judge's claim that the Government is trying to keep offenders out of jail.

Corrections is investigating claims against inmates giving sexual favors and a Correction's employee handing over $14k a month for marijuana.

Judith Collins' return to John Key's Cabinet is a credit to her. It would have been easy for someone of her temperament to have reacted differently to her dismissal.

Reinstated Cabinet minister Judith Collins says a year on the backbench has given her more confidence and she is looking forward to sorting out the Serco debacle as the new Corrections Minister.

Speculation is rife the Prime Minister will bring back former cabinet minister to sort out mess at Corrections.

Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga has defended the past ranking of privately run Mt Eden Prison as the best in the country, saying it was based on its record at the time.

A prisoner who raped a woman while on a Release to Work programme has been sentenced.

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.

Two state jails have worse assault rates than the controversial privately-run Mt Eden prison.

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

An assistant prison director has recently completed a settlement process with Serco after he was dismissed for serious misconduct.

Changes have been made to how tamper alerts for the 160 "highest risk" electronically monitored prisoners and offenders are managed in a bid to improve public safety.