13 June 2025
C196890
C Lane
[FYI request #30883 email]
Tēnā koe
Thank you for your request on 2 May 2025 to the Department of Corrections – Ara Poutama
Aotearoa, requesting information about Guided Release. Your request has been considered
under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).
In May 2025, Guided Release was updated and renamed Guiding Release. Through our
Guiding Release programme, we support eligible prisoners to take part reintegration
activities that can help their safe and successful transition into the community on release
from prison.
Guiding Release is a planned and supervised activity, which can include people participating
in pre-release meetings with probation officers, organising bank accounts, registering with a
local doctor, visiting potential accommodation providers, and meeting with future
employers.
Public safety is our top priority during any Guiding Release activity. Every person is strictly
vetted prior to undertaking Guiding Release and can be equipped with an electronic
monitoring anklet when leaving the prison to attend a Guiding Release activity.
Guided Releases took place under Corrections’ Temporary Release framework. Under the
new model, Guiding Release uses Corrections’ Temporary Removals and Temporary Release
procedures to release prisoners for a specified timeframe under supervision for a
reintegrative need. By utilising the Temporary Removal framework, prisoners on remand
and sentenced to imprisonment under two years are now eligible for Guiding Release if a
reintegrative need is identified. This is outlined in the Prison Operations Manual.
Information about these procedures is publicly available at the following links:
https://www.corrections.govt.nz/resources/policy_and_legislation/Prison-Operations-
Manual/Movement/M.04-External-movement-transportation-of-prisoners/M.04.05-
Temporary-removals
https://www.corrections.govt.nz/resources/policy_and_legislation/Prison-Operations-
Manual/Movement/M.04-External-movement-transportation-of-prisoners/M.04.06-
Temporary-release
NATIONAL OFFICE, WELLINGTON
Mayfair House, 44 – 52 The Terrace, Wellington, 6011, Private Box 1206, Wellington 6140,
Phone +64 4 460 3000
www.corrections.govt.nz
2
For ease of response, your questions have been reordered and some questions are
answered together. You requested:
5. Can guided release take place pre first parole for life sentenced inmate’s?
6. If so what is the specific criteria, for life sentenced and non life sentenced?
7. At what point does one become eligible for application of guided release, both life
sentenced and non life sentenced?
Temporary releases are used to support and enable a prisoner’s reintegration into the
community when they are released. Prisoners eligible to be temporarily released are:
• Minimum security prisoners who are serving a sentence of more than 24 months and
have reached their parole eligibility date; or were sentenced to imprisonment prior
to 1 July 2002 for a serious violent offence and are within 12 months of their
sentence end date.
• Low and low-medium security prisoners who have a release date set by the
New Zealand Parole Board.
Temporary removals are utilised when prisoners are required to be removed from the
prison to:
• Recognise or maintain a family relationship or a friendship.
• Obtain medical, or other, assessment or treatment.
• Give birth, or attend the birth of the prisoner's child, or visit the prisoner's newborn
child.
• Engage with, take part in, or attend a religious, community, cultural, educational,
recreational, service, or sporting group, activity, or event.
• To undertake an activity that supports the rehabilitative or re-integrative needs of
the prisoner.
• Prepare for the possibility of release.
Prisoners eligible to apply for temporary removal are:
• Sentenced to imprisonment.
• A prisoner on remand.
• A prisoner detained under an order that is not a sentence of imprisonment.
1. The total number of guided releases conducted at each prison over the past 6
months.
The table below shows the number of people who participated in Guided Releases between
1 November 2024 and 30 April 2025.
Prison
Guided Releases
Northland Region Corrections Facility
6
Auckland Prison
-
Mt Eden Corrections Facility
-
Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility
5
3
Auckland South Corrections Facility
18
Spring Hill Corrections Facility
8
Waikeria Prison
5
Tongariro Prison
20
Whanganui Prison
11
Manawatu Prison
4
Rimutaka Prison
-
Arohata Prison
-
Christchurch Men’s Prison
5
Christchurch Women’s Prison
-
Rolleston Prison
1
Otago Corrections Facility
3
Invercargill Prison
3
Table notes:
• The data provided is manually recorded at each site and is provided to the best of
Corrections’ ability.
• The data provided reflects the Guided Releases which took place prior to the change to
Guiding Release. These occurred through the Temporary Release framework.
• Data may be subject to change over time as a result of retrospective assurance amendments
being made.
• Figures are not directly comparable between prisons. Prison populations vary in size and
demographics, including security classifications of the people they manage. Some prisons
manage more people on remand while other prisons predominantly manage sentenced
prisoners.
• Guided Release at Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison is currently occurring through a contracted
provider for prisoners housed in self-care unit Te Whare Oranga Ake as part of their
reintegration and is therefore not captured in the information held by Corrections.
• As Mt Eden Corrections Facility is a remand facility it did not offer Guided Release, however
the new model will allow individuals to be released on Temporary Removals.
2. If guided releases are not occurring, please provide an explanation for their
suspension at each site.
3. When are guided releases expected to resume at each site?
Guiding Releases have not been suspended at any site.
4. The number of staff employed solely to conduct guided releases at each site.
No staff at Corrections are solely employed to conduct Guiding Releases. While some larger
prisons have staff whose primary focus is to conduct Guiding Release, many prisons use
different staff depending on who is assessed as the most appropriate person to accompany
them, and staff availability, with these tasks being absorbed as part of their overall
workload. For example, case managers, release to work brokers and reintegration
coordinators may assist with Guiding Release activities.
4
Please note that this response may be published on Corrections’ website. Typically,
responses are published quarterly or as otherwise determined. Your personal information
including name and contact details will be removed for publication.
I hope this information is helpful. I encourage you to raise any concerns about this response
with Corrections. Alternatively, you are advised of your right to raise any concerns with the
Office of the Ombudsman. Contact details are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152,
Wellington 6143.
Ngā mihi
Leigh Marsh
Commissioner
Custodial Services
