Rooftop prison standoff by teen inmates likely a ‘cry for help’ – صحيفة الصوت

A group of teenage inmates’ 24-hour rooftop standoff at Hawke’s Bay Prison has been described as a likely “cry for help”.

Corrections will review the incident that unfolded around 2.30pm on Monday when six prisoners aged 17-19 were able to barricade themselves on roof of the prison’s youth wing.

They spent the night in sub-zero conditions, before two got down on Tuesday morning. The remaining four surrendered as a riot team moved in around 1pm, but not before hurling bits of wood and other items.

Earlier, they could be heard yelling, “it’s because they didn’t let us outside”.

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Aphiphany Forward-Taua, executive director youth justice organisation Just Speak, said prison was no place for any young person in Aotearoa.

She felt the degree of risk the young men exposed themselves to was “really a cry for help”.

“Our view is that these people have gone to quite extreme lengths to tell people, ‘I feel unseen and unheard and I feel unsafe’.”

Corrections Chief Custodial Officer Neil Beales said staff did an excellent job de-escalating the incident and praised their professionalism and bravery.

“Early indications are that the prisoners were upset because they weren’t allowed to go into the unit’s sports area [on Monday], but the reasons for the incident will be the subject of the review.”

Incidents of this nature just needed “a bit of a spark and it just escalates from there”, he said.

“Those men, 25 and younger, tend to be a little more hot headed and a lot of them are in there for violent offences.”

Forward-Taua said while she was unsure of the reason for the group’s actions, she believed it would be related to their “general experiences at prison and their wellness”.

“Us incarcerating them, not allowing them to go outside, not allowing them basic things … that’s not telling them that we care about them. We need to provide solutions that are sustainable so that they can re-enter society.”

Prisoner rights advocate Awatea Mita, of Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Pikiao descent, did not believe the incident would have come out of the blue.

“No-one would have undertaken that kind of action unless they were pushed to the edge.”

Staff shortages were affecting prisons across the country and contributing to conditions where the inmates “look for other ways to express themselves”, Mita said.

She was not unsympathetic to Corrections staff dealing with the situation, but said it was important the prison’s response was not solely punitive.

“These situations arise not through the wrongdoing of these young people, but through the inadequacy of the prison. It’s incredibly difficult dealing with these staff shortages and mental health issues, but they are charged with duty of care.”

Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis said he had “the utmost faith in the skills and professionalism” of the staff dealing with the situation.

“I don’t have concerns about the treatment of youth. Corrections, I think, does a fantastic job of trying to meet the needs of people who are in prison.”

Justice Minister Kiri Allan said work was under way to look at whether the policy settings were right for young people in Corrections facilities.

“I think there’s always room for improvement and we are always looking for ways we can make those improvements in the right ways,” she said.