This is a part of No Pride in Prisons’ Abolitionist demands. These demands were originally published as a book. To see a pdf of the book, click here. To buy a copy, please email info@noprideinprisons.org.nz
Most New Zealand prisons are only accessible to the public by private vehicle.[1] New Zealand prisons are located throughout the country, sometimes in extremely remote places, such as Rangipō, where people can be incarcerated hundreds of kilometres from whānau and loved ones. It can be extremely expensive for whānau to visit from far away, in terms of both time and money. Even relatively short distances that are not accessible by bus or foot require a car and the ability to drive. For those who cannot afford a car, or to run one, visitation to some prisons is extremely difficult.
The provision of publicly funded transport to prisons is fundamental to the long term well-being of incarcerated people, their loved ones, and communities as a whole. Contact between incarcerated people and the outside world through prison visitation maintains the ties of emotional support that can be eroded so easily by the isolation of incarceration. A 2011 study by the Minnesota Department of Corrections found that any prison visitation greatly reduces a person’s likelihood of reoffending.[2] In particular, it “showed that more frequent and recent visits were associated with a decreased risk of recidivism.”[3] Further, a 2012 UK study reiterated previous research, which found that visits significantly improve the well-being of incarcerated people.[4]
Existing volunteer transportation enables limited prison visitation but publicly funded transportation is necessary to provide regular and reliable access.[5] Where cost is a barrier to visitation, regular and publicly-funded transportation services to and from prisons will help to extend the benefits of visitation to incarcerated people, their families, and their communities.
[1] Department of Corrections, “Our Locations,” Department of Corrections, 4 June 2016. http://www.corrections.govt.nz/about_us/getting_in_touch/our_locations.html.
[2] Minnesota Department of Corrections, Effects of Prison Visitation on Offender Recidivism, (St Paul: Minnesota Department of Corrections, 2011).
[3] Ibid., 27.
[4] Rachael Dixey and James Woodall, “The Significance of ‘the Visit’ in an English Category-B Prison: Views from Prisoners, Prisoners’ Families and Prison Staff,” Community, Work & Family, 15: 37.
[5] PARS, “Our Services,” PARS, 20 March 2016. http://www.pars.co.nz/sub-menu/our-services/.