When young people are sent to prison for a crime as serious as murder, few of us give much thought to what they will do with all that time inside.

A man facing a serious violence charge was mistakenly released from a Serco-run prison, the Weekend Herald has learned.

One of the men convicted of murdering disabled Featherston man Glen Jones has set up a Facebook page proclaiming his innocence.

The soaring prison population has led to an over spend of 45 million dollars on jails in the last 12 months and new technology could help reduce the number of bobby calves being killed. Also a Kiwi takes America’s got talent by storm.

Soaring prison population growth has led to a budget blowout of $45 million in the last year, and forced the Government to expand prisons to fit more inmates.

Inmates at an Auckland prison were put in lockdown for 48 hours after obstructing corrections officers and disobeying orders.

New Zealand's prison population continues to reach all-time highs, forcing officials to get creative in juggling the numbers.

New Zealand's toughest criminals are doing yoga behind bars in a bid to reduce recidivism and help turn their lives around.

Children visiting their mothers will enjoy face painting, crafts and movies at Wellington Prison on Sunday.

A spokeswoman for the Auckland South Corrections Facility at Wiri said the man was "taken ill" at 4.05pm.

Serco has agreed to pay $8 million to Corrections after the department stepped in last July to manage the Mt Eden Corrections facility.

The Government has charged Serco $8 million to cover the costs of resuming control of Mt Eden Corrections Facility last year.

When Papakura artist Jacquelyn Ritete surveys the 40 cells at Counties Manukau Police station in Wiri, she sees potential.

A prisoner behind an attack on a convicted murderer which left the victim with a broken arm and fractured skull says he is not sorry.

Up to 130 more prison cells could be "double-bunked" to cope with an unexpected blow-out in the prison population, Corrections chief Ray Smith says.

Incident report by Corrections on inmate's hospital visit flight sees minister face questions about staff fatigue.

A prisoner was found unresponsive in his cell this morning while staff were conducting routine rounds.

Almost 7000 prohibited items have been seized from inmates at prisons in 2015.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins says she stands by tough bail reforms that have led to a bigger prison population and stretched the Corrections Department's budget.

An inmate at Christchurch Men's Prison has been stabbed in the head by a group of men.

Private prison operator's contract to run troubled corrections facility will not be renewed.

The release of a report into fighting at Mt Eden Prison is held up in court, thanks to a legal challenge by former prison manager, Serco.

A prison reform group, formerly headed by the late Sir Peter Williams, QC, has been renamed in his honour.

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.

Reprimand after prison worker says he doesn't like term 'inmates'.

A Rimutaka prisoner is in a serious condition after being assaulted by another inmate, the prison director confirmed.

Heroic fantasy books, Jack Reacher novels and crime thrillers top the reading list inside our prisons.