Serco Awarded Prison Contract in Auckland, New Zealand

Serco Awarded Prison Contract in Auckland, New Zealand

Serco Asia Pacific, the international service company, announces today that it has been awarded the Prison Management Contract for the Mt Eden and Auckland Central Remand Prison (Mt Eden/ACRP).

The full contract will commence in August 2011 and includes prison safety and security, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for prisoners, prisoner welfare and activities, prisoner logistics, and infrastructure management. The ten-year contract is valued around A$300m.

Serco Asia Pacific Chief Executive David Campbell welcomed the opportunity to partner with the New Zealand Government to realise the full potential of the prison to benefit the Department of Corrections, the prisoners and the wider New Zealand community through a focus on reducing the impact of reoffending.

“Sercos kaupapa values-based solution for the prison guarantees safety, security and innovation and will meet the Governments, the Departments and key stakeholders needs, especially Māori. We will deliver real value for money through a focus on reducing re-offending and our ability to bring innovation, organisational change and the effective management of people, processes and assets without compromising safety or security,” David Campbell said.

“Serco will provide a minimum number of out of cell hours to deliver rehabilitation and reintegration programmes and reduce the impact of reoffending, establish a „First Night Unit and „Induction Unit to reduce risks for newly arrived remand prisoners, and will establish a Māori Unit for the accommodation of suitable young Māori men to support our strong emphasis on addressing specific cultural needs of Māori prisoners. Tikanga Māori programmes will be delivered in this accommodation unit with partnered local hapū organisations and culturally sensitive staff.”

Serco has been successfully delivering services to governments across the world for almost fifty years. We have steadily built our position in the southern hemispheres justice sector since commencing at Acacia Prison in Western Australia in 2006 and then at Borallon Correctional Centre in Queensland, Australia in 2008. Serco also manages four prisons in the United Kingdom, a Young Offenders Institution, and a Secure Training Centre for juveniles on behalf of the Youth Justice Board of England and Wales.

At both Acacia and Borallon, Serco has successfully delivered culturally appropriate services and programmes to meet the needs of the significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations, appropriately enhancing their time in prison and importantly contributing to the ultimate aim of reducing the impact of their reoffending. Our approach to Māori in the New Zealand context is informed through these experiences. Furthermore, for more than a year we have engaged in depth with Iwi and hapū leaders, pan Māori and Māori service providers to develop those important aspects of our solution for the Auckland prison.

The prison is a multi-building facility that will accommodate 966 male prisoners, including both remand and sentenced prisoners. It is a critical central hub for the Northern Region of the New Zealand Department of Corrections penal system and an essential facility for New Zealands largest city, Auckland. The Mt Eden/ACRP prison will comprise the facilities currently under construction (expected to be completed by 31 March 2011), including a prisoner services building, accommodation buildings „A and „B, an internal car park building, gatehouse, and staff facilities located outside the external secure perimeter, and the existing Auckland Central Remand Prison.

ENDS

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