Searches of prisoners
Mark Hanna made this Official Information request to Department of Corrections
The request was refused by Department of Corrections.
From: Mark Hanna
Tēnā koutou,
On 2017-10-10, I sent a request (ref C89773) asking for information regarding strip searches in prisons. I had based the request on two earlier requests for similar information.
In the response I received on 2017-11-08, I was told that the information provided in response to the earlier requests was incorrect, and given some information on how this information is stored. I asked on 2017-11-09 for further clarification on how the information is stored, requesting that this be clarified well in advance of 2017-11-26 so that I could make an informed request in time for the standard 20 working day deadline to still fall prior to the large gap from the 25th of December to the 15th of January where there are no working days.
Unfortunately, I have not received any further clarification since then. I have done my best to construct this request in lieu of the requested assistance, based on the clarification provided in the response I received on 2017-11-08. However, I would like to reiterate and emphasise my invitation for you to consult with me on revising my request that I also included in my previous request.
If the information held by the Department of Corrections is not held in a way that would allow the information I am requesting to be provided without requiring substantial collation or research, please consult with me on how I could refine my request.
It is my hope that a response will be provided without requiring an extension under section 15A of the Official Information Act. If it looks like an extension is likely, please contact me to discuss revising my request into something that could receive a response prior to 2017-12-25.
My current understanding of the way this information is stored is that various types of prisoner searches (metal detector, x-ray machine, rub-down, and strip search) are stored together in the strip search section of the Integrated Offenders Management System (IOMS).
I also understand that the type of search cannot be easily extracted, as it is recorded in a free-text field that is not standardised. Likewise, whether or not contraband was found as the result of a search also cannot be easily extracted, as this information is also recorded in free-text fields that are not standardised.
Please release the following information, from January 2015 until the most recent month for which data is available:
1. The raw data stored in the strip search section of the Integrated Offenders Management System (IOMS).
Please provide this information in a machine-readable spreadsheet format, such as CSV or XSLX.
I understand that it may be necessary to withhold some fields in order to protect the privacy of prisoners, and that withholding this information on a per-event basis would likely require a large amount of work (the incorrect data released previously implies these events occur at a rate on the order of 10,000 per month). I would be happy for these fields to be withheld when necessary to protect privacy.
Please also explain any relevant caveats that should be kept in mind when analysing this information, including the licence under which it is released.
If any part of my request is unclear, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Ngā mihi,
Mark Hanna
From: Info@Corrections
Department of Corrections
Hello,
Thank you for contacting the Department of Corrections; this is an
automatic reply to confirm we have received your email – please do not
reply to this e mail.
Please note, depending on the nature of your request you may not receive
an official response for up to 20 working days, but be assured we will
endeavour to respond to you as quickly as possible.
If you are a friend or family member of someone in prison, you can find
some useful information [1]here.
If you are requesting information we are required to comply with the
Privacy Act 1993, the Official Information Act 1982 and the Victims Rights
Act 2002.
Unless you are the victim of a serious crime, or there are safety reasons,
we are required to ask the offender for their permission to release their
information to you. If you do not want the offender to know you are
asking about them, please let us know as soon as possible.
If you are a victim, you will find information about the Victim
Notification Register on our website [2]here.
Our website, [3]http://www.corrections.govt.nz/ provides up to date
news and information about our work, you can also follow us on [4]Facebook
and [5]Twitter.
Kind regards,
The Ministerial Services Team
[6][Department of Corrections request email]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The
information in this message is the property of the New Zealand Department
of Corrections. It is intended only for the person or entity to which it
is addressed and may contain privileged or in confidence material. Any
review, storage, copying, editing, summarising, transmission,
retransmission, dissemination or other use of, by any means, in whole or
part, or taking any action in reliance upon, this information by persons
or entities other than intended recipient are prohibited. If you received
this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from all
computers.
References
Visible links
1. http://www.corrections.govt.nz/working_w...
2. http://www.corrections.govt.nz/informati...
3. http://www.corrections.govt.nz/
4. https://www.facebook.com/CorrectionsNZ/
5. https://twitter.com/correctionsnz
6. mailto:[Department of Corrections request email]
From: Mark Hanna
Tēnā koutou,
A response to this request was due no later than the 2017-12-22. However, I have received no response aside from the automatic reply sent on 2017-11-26.
On 2017-12-01 I received a response to a related request (ref C90580) that seems to indicate that the information I have asked for here cannot be easily extracted in the form that I have requested, as it is stored on a per-prisoner basis rather than in a central database.
If it is possible for this information to be released, I would still like to receive it. I am not sure if the Department of Corrections may have considered the response I received to my other request to also be a notification that this request has been refused.
I would appreciate clarification on the status of this request.
Ngā mihi,
Mark Hanna
From: Mark Hanna
Tēnā koutou,
A week ago, I sent a follow-up to this request to ask for an update on its status. However, I've yet to receive any response since the automated message I received on 2017-11-26. Could you please update me on the status of this request?
Ngā mihi,
Mark Hanna
From: Info@Corrections
Department of Corrections
Hello,
Thank you for contacting the Department of Corrections; this is an
automatic reply to confirm we have received your email – please do not
reply to this e mail.
Depending on the nature of your request you may not receive an official
response for up to 20 working days.
Be assured we will endeavour to respond to you as quickly as possible.
If you are a friend or family member of someone in prison, you can find
some useful information [1]here.
If you are requesting information we are required to comply with the
Privacy Act 1993, the Official Information Act 1982 and the Victims Rights
Act 2002.
Unless you are the victim of a serious crime, or there are safety reasons,
we are required to ask the offender for their permission to release their
information to you. If you do not want the offender to know you are
asking about them, please let us know as soon as possible.
If you are a victim, you will find information about the Victim
Notification Register on our website [2]here.
Our website, [3]http://www.corrections.govt.nz/ provides up to date news
and information about our work, you can also follow us on [4]Facebook and
[5]Twitter.
Kind regards,
The Ministerial Services Team
[6][Department of Corrections request email]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The
information in this message is the property of the New Zealand Department
of Corrections. It is intended only for the person or entity to which it
is addressed and may contain privileged or in confidence material. Any
review, storage, copying, editing, summarising, transmission,
retransmission, dissemination or other use of, by any means, in whole or
part, or taking any action in reliance upon, this information by persons
or entities other than intended recipient are prohibited. If you received
this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from all
computers.
References
Visible links
1. http://www.corrections.govt.nz/working_w...
2. http://www.corrections.govt.nz/informati...
3. http://www.corrections.govt.nz/
4. https://www.facebook.com/CorrectionsNZ/
5. https://twitter.com/correctionsnz
6. mailto:[Department of Corrections request email]
From: Mark Hanna
Tēnā koutou,
Over two weeks ago now, on 2018-02-01, I sent a follow-up to this request to ask for an update on its status. I sent another follow-up asking for an update a week later, on 2018-02-09. As the request was received by you on 2017-11-26, a response to is now overdue by 24 working days.
Please send me an update on the status of this request today.
Ngā mihi,
Mark Hanna
From: Info@Corrections
Department of Corrections
Hello,
Thank you for contacting the Department of Corrections; this is an
automatic reply to confirm we have received your email – please do not
reply to this e mail.
Depending on the nature of your request you may not receive an official
response for up to 20 working days.
Be assured we will endeavour to respond to you as quickly as possible.
If you are a friend or family member of someone in prison, you can find
some useful information [1]here.
If you are requesting information we are required to comply with the
Privacy Act 1993, the Official Information Act 1982 and the Victims Rights
Act 2002.
Unless you are the victim of a serious crime, or there are safety reasons,
we are required to ask the offender for their permission to release their
information to you. If you do not want the offender to know you are
asking about them, please let us know as soon as possible.
If you are a victim, you will find information about the Victim
Notification Register on our website [2]here.
Our website, [3]http://www.corrections.govt.nz/ provides up to date news
and information about our work, you can also follow us on [4]Facebook and
[5]Twitter.
Kind regards,
The Ministerial Services Team
[6][Department of Corrections request email]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The
information in this message is the property of the New Zealand Department
of Corrections. It is intended only for the person or entity to which it
is addressed and may contain privileged or in confidence material. Any
review, storage, copying, editing, summarising, transmission,
retransmission, dissemination or other use of, by any means, in whole or
part, or taking any action in reliance upon, this information by persons
or entities other than intended recipient are prohibited. If you received
this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from all
computers.
References
Visible links
1. http://www.corrections.govt.nz/working_w...
2. http://www.corrections.govt.nz/informati...
3. http://www.corrections.govt.nz/
4. https://www.facebook.com/CorrectionsNZ/
5. https://twitter.com/correctionsnz
6. mailto:[Department of Corrections request email]
From: Info@Corrections
Department of Corrections
Dear Mr Hanna,
Please find attached Corrections response to your correspondence.
Kind regards,
Ministerial Services
Department of Corrections Ara Poutama Aotearoa
Mayfair House | 44-52 The Terrace | Private Box 1206 | Wellington
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this message is the property of the New Zealand Department of Corrections. It is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain privileged or in confidence material. Any review, storage, copying, editing, summarising, transmission, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, by any means, in whole or part, or taking any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than intended recipient are prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from all computers.
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Mark Hanna left an annotation ()
As I mentioned in my annotation on the 1st of February, Corrections considered their response to a separate request to also reply to this one.
It's unsurprising, but it would have been nice if they'd taken less than three weeks to respond to my requests for clarification.
Things to do with this request
- Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
- Download a zip file of all correspondence
Offensive? Unsuitable?
This request has been marked for review by the site administrators, who have not hidden it at this time. If you believe it should be hidden, please contact us.
Mark Hanna left an annotation ()
I believe the Department of Corrections does not intend to respond to this request, and consider their response to a related request (https://fyi.org.nz/request/6675-strip-se...) to be sufficient. In that other response, they explained that information such as what I have asked for here cannot be provided.
Link to this