I want to visit my brother in jail. Can I just show up at the prison?
Where can I find out more about the prison my partner is in?
I think my cousin is in prison, but I don’t know where. How do I track her down?
I want to visit my brother in jail. Can I just show up at the prison?
No, you need to get approval to visit your brother. First, you need to get your brother to ask for a visitor’s approval form at the prison, and get him to post it to you. The forms ask for your:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Relationship to the prisoner
- Any criminal history
You need to fill out a form for every person who wants to visit the prison – including each of your children, if they want to come too. After you post the form back to the prison, their staff will decide whether or not you can visit. If they’re unclear about anything, you could be called in for an interview. Once they’ve made a decision you’ll be told if you can come in – most people are allowed to visit prisoners. If you’re declined you’ll be sent a prohibition order that explains why you can’t come in.
After this, you can book a time to visit your brother by calling the prison. The visiting hours of each prison depend on the prison itself.
Prisoners are allowed at least one visit for half an hour or longer each week, and they can have up to three adults and three children visit at one time. More information about prison visits is available online.
Where can I find out more about the prison my partner is in?
Each prison is different – the size, the levels of security, and the types of facilities. All the contact details and some information about each prison around New Zealand is on the Corrections Department website.
I think my cousin is in prison, but I don’t know where. How do I track her down?
You can write to the Department of Corrections to try to find out. You need to include:
- The full name and date of birth of the person you want to contact
- Any other names by which they are known
- Reason for enquiry
- Your postal address
If your cousin is being held in a prison somewhere, your details will be passed on to your cousin. She then has the choice to let you know where she is. Enquiries are normally answered within a month.