Flaws in prison database

Public in dark on drugs, weapons

Flaws in the Corrections Department's database used to store information about smuggled drugs, weapons and cellphones are keeping the public in the dark about how illegal items are getting into New Zealand prisons.

A Manawatu Standard investigation has revealed that the software system has provided Corrections with a legal "loophole" to turn down media requests for information about what contraband items are smuggled into prisons and where they are being found.

An Official Information Act request made by the Standard showed that 92 contraband discoveries were made at Manawatu Prison between January and May this year, which included smuggling attempts by visitors and prisoners and discoveries inside the prison.

When Corrections was asked to provide details of those contraband items and how they were smuggled, officials refused to provide the information because the software system, installed last November, was unable to generate reports of that nature.

The newspaper complained to the Ombudsman, only to be told Corrections was justified in not releasing the information because it would require 92 prisoner files to be individually viewed.

In her provisional decision, Chief Ombudsman Beverley Wakem ruled Corrections staff would have to spend too much time manually gathering the information.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins also backed the department's decision to decline the information.

"My own view is that such information should not be released for security reasons, given the potential for copycat offending," she said.

Mrs Collins was confident that Corrections was making efforts to improve the database, including adding the location of contraband finds and whether they were found on prisoners or visitors.

But Opposition Corrections spokesman Clayton Cosgrove said the software glitch had given the Corrections Minister a "convenient" way to prevent the reporting of embarrassing prison stories.

"It's smugness from Judith Collins," Mr Cosgrove said.

"She's found a loophole to say that she doesn't have to release potentially embarrassing information. If Judith Collins wanted this information released, she would have it released. It sounds to me that she doesn't want information that might be embarrassing being released and showing what's really happening on her watch."

The prison system must be operated with openness and that was no longer the case, he said.

"Transparency is the only way to run a government and John Key himself has said he would hold his Government to a higher standard, but that's clearly not happening with the Corrections minister."

Mr Cosgrove said the fact that Corrections staff would now have to go through documents manually was no excuse for holding back the release of information that was clearly in the public interest.

"We are talking about 92 files, we're not talking about 9000," he said. "It's become a trend of this department that anything that's sensitive takes too much time. To refuse a request for 92 files, which is not a big amount, I would think it's bordering on the obstructive."

He said the centralised computer system should have made things easier, not harder for Corrections staff to find information.

Manawatu Prison Manager Peter Howe said the new system had added a reporting field to the database, which required staff to enter information when contraband was discovered.

He said an intelligence team investigated smuggling trends using information from the database.
Asked if having instantly available information on the trends would help combat smuggling, Mr Howe said: ''The more information we have in relation to contraband reporting would no doubt support our current efforts in stopping contraband entering our sites.''

Corrections executive services manager Kelley Reeve said the department was investigating ways to expand the parameters of the database.
''This includes categories to summarise the location of the find, and whether the find was on a prisoner or visitor,'' she said.

AT A GLANCE
Items smuggled into Manawatu Prison this year include alcohol, cellphones, drugs, drug utensils, money, prescription medicines, weapons, tattoo ink, gang paraphernalia and pornography.
Drug tests on 114 randomly selected prisoners to the end of May this year came back with 11 positive results. Another 59 prisoners who were not randomly selected also tested positive for drug use.

Methods used to prevent smuggling at Manawatu Prison include increased perimeter security, surveillance cameras, x-ray machines, background checks and sniffer dogs.
No prison guards have been caught smuggling items into the prison to the end of May this year.

NOTABLE SMUGGLING INCIDENTS AT MANAWATU PRISON
March 9: Cannabis, cannabis oil and an empty P bag were found in a female visitor's car. Staff also found 'tinnies' of cannabis in another young woman's purse, and in a box of KFC. A woman was seen walking along the fence line, calling to prisoners. She was searched and an empty syringe was found.
March 13: Twenty-nine vehicles and 38 people were searched. Cannabis was found in a car occupied by two people, and one visitor threw a cellphone wrapped in a sock over a fence.
March 27: A person drove to Manawatu Prison and threw a small film canister bound with insulation tape over the fence. Guards seized the cannister, which contained cannabis. The car licence plate was traced but was found to be stolen.
April 10: A small amount of cannabis was found in the pocket of a 15-year-old visitor.
July 17: A person drove up to the perimeter fence and threw over a milk carton, containing cannabis oil, a phone card, lollies and a note, before speeding away.

- © Fairfax NZ News