Private prisons could provide a "spur of competition" to improve prisons, says expert.

The Govt wants a 1000-bed male prison at Wiri to be designed, built and operated under a public-private partnership.

The convicted violent criminal who lived in Government minister Paula Bennett's home is out of prison - and has been kicked out of the country.

Convicted double-murderer David Tamihere - who killed two Swedish tourists in 1990 - has had his first proper taste of freedom in 21 years.

People who travel overseas to have sex with children will face a "strike" towards life imprisonment under new proposals that widen the net of the three strikes bill.

American death-row inmate Hank Skinner was slowly chewing his way through his "last meal" when the news came through.

A Corrections staff member tried to hide his poor supervision of a yard where inmates tipped over a crane, and from where one later escaped.

The ASB bank investment adviser who stole $17.8m charged his parents interest on a loan to move into a retirement home - then asked for the money back when his fraud was discovered.

Japanese lawyers are lined up to defend incarcerated anti-whaling protester Peter Bethune, but an environmental group still hopes Japanese authorities will send him home.

Japanese media have expressed frustration at a NZ activist's anti-whaling protests, with one top newspaper accusing him of terrorism.

John Key says the Govt can not intervene in Japan's legal processes to help anti-whaling campaigner Peter Bethune.