The incident occurred at Manawatu Prison. Two other staff were injured while disarming the prisoner.

A senior Corrections staffer has been sacked after allegedly having sex with a colleague on duty in an Auckland prison high security area.

An inmate found dead at Paremoremo prison has been checked by Corrections staff hourly.

A prisoner serving a life sentence for murdering a man at a party 12 years ago will be released on parole later this month.

At least 20 people are behind bars after being wrongfully convicted of serious crimes and an independent body is needed to investigate such cases, politicians have been told.

Serco has been forgiven $620,000 of financial penalties after being issued performance notices by the Corrections Department.

In total the private prisoner operator will be at least $1,090,000 out of pocket, TV3 reported.

Inmates at Rolleston Prison have been showing their softer side, knitting blankets for abandoned and homeless animals rescued by the SPCA.

New Corrections figures show the controversial Mt Eden prison doesn't have the worst assault rate among inmates - but the union representing prison guards at state-run jails has cast doubt on the numbers.

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

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.

It was announced today that the terms of reference and timeframe for the chief inspector of Corrections' investigation have been extended.

David Fisher talks to former inmates about what life behind bars is really like.

A transgender prisoner has been moved to a women's jail, hours after transgender advocacy group began a hunger strike highlighting her plight.

An investigation into organised prisoner fights at Mt Eden prison has been extended due to the number of issues raised at the facility.

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

A prisoner who died in jail had requested segregation from a man who had been convicted of sexually assaulted him.

Michael Murray is expected to be 'kept out of general population' as he serves his time for killing Connor Morris.

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 inmate found dead in his Mt Eden prison cell had admitted violence and sex charges against women and children spanning a period of four decades.

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

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.

Under a new law, criminals won't be able to get their hands on mistreatment compensation cash while jailed, and their victims can claim compensation from the payouts.

The typical meal of mince and peas was out the window today in the Rimutaka Prison kitchen.

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.

A single mum and a man have appeared in court for allegedly trying to smuggle drugs into a Christchurch prison.