A Japanese court has decided to release a man who was sentenced to death in 1980 in a high-profile murder case based on new DNA evidence.

As the Crown's balance sheet approaches a quarter of a trillion dollars, managing those assets and the risks is becoming more important, says the Treasury.

About 600 construction workers are on the 17ha site of New Zealand's biggest new prison and the country's largest public-private partnership, which is recruiting staff now.

The secret prison within a prison at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre that houses several alleged terrorists - is falling apart.

The shortage of traditional death drugs isn't necessarily great news for anyone on death row, writes Jack Tame.

An ex-girlfriend of a jailed rapist is furious he was able to stalk her from prison, and also arrange for another prisoner to carry on the surveillance.

New Zealand's prison population continues to grow despite record-low crime rates and an ambitious Government strategy to cut reoffending.

Prisoners will not be able to have more than three pieces of fruit a day in NZ jails, after a major riot was found to have been caused by inmates who were drunk on home-brewed alcohol.

Corrections is trying to prevent prisoners from stockpiling fruit after inmates were found to have made an alcoholic drink out of it before a major riot at Spring Hill Prison.

'It feels like there is no hope left out there.' There are concerns in Christchurch that the city's housing situation is more dire than ever, with families squatting in the red zone.

I pictured only cold stone walls, heavy steel doors, violent men, and indifferent guards.

Inmates moving through the country's new $300 million prison will be able to track their path to freedom.

Auckland Prison's maximum security wing is to be completely rebuilt under a Public Private Partnership (PPP).

The rate of repairs to earthquake-damaged Housing New Zealand homes in Christchurch has been slammed for being "painfully slow".

Police investigations into the death of an Otago remand prisoner have been stepped up following the involvement of New Zealand's police watchdog in the case.

A group of inmates are stonewalling a police investigation into a near-fatal stabbing at Paremoremo Prison.

Prison officers allegedly used "ghosting" to alter records after an inmate's death to state they had checked on prisoners more often than they had.

A psychologist has been banned from treating prison inmates and told her contact with them was "inappropriate".

On the table at Rimutaka Prison last week was lamb fillet with duck liver pate, caramelised potatoes and vegetables in an oxtail jus.

Prisons with Maori Focus Units are changing they way they work, offering more time between prisoners and their families in a bid to cut reoffending.

Damian came to prison when he was barely into his teens - he's doing life and it will be years before he'll come up for parole.

Hinewirangi Kohu-Morgan is a boss inside Waikeria Prison. She's a Maori woman teaching Maori men how to be men.