Prison Segregation Requests Surge Amid Escalating Gang Tensions in New Zealand

New Zealand’s prison system is witnessing a sharp rise in voluntary segregation requests, with experts attributing the trend to growing gang affiliations and the resulting fear among inmates. According to data obtained through the Official Information Act, the number of approved segregation requests by prison staff rose dramatically—from 7,284 in the 2018/19 financial year to 12,153 in 2023/24, representing a 66% increase over five years.

This surge is not just a statistical anomaly; it reflects a deepening sense of fear and danger within the prison population. People Against Prisons Aotearoa’s spokeswoman, Emmy Rakete, emphasized that these numbers are a clear indicator of the increasing threat faced by incarcerated individuals.

“This measures danger, this measures fear,” Rakete said. “These numbers show us that in the very recent history of New Zealand’s prison system, there’s been a terrifying explosion in dread among incarcerated people.”

Inmates are choosing segregation due to fears of being targeted for their gang affiliation, lack of affiliation, or for their sexual or gender identity. Rakete questioned why such a tool is the only option available to mitigate the risk of violence.

“If this is one of the few tools that incarcerated people have got to try to control their exposure to violence, then of course they’re going to use it,” she said. “What I want to know is: why are there no better alternatives?”

The Department of Corrections acknowledged that the rise in voluntary segregation is linked to an increasing proportion of prisoners who are gang-affiliated. Corrections Association of New Zealand president Floyd du Plessis noted that the surge in voluntary segregation is also driven by a “massive increase in violence and aggressions within the prisons.”

“Because that number’s become so high, it’s actually hard to accommodate and find placement for them,” du Plessis said. “Quite often, we have a number of areas across the country where we’ve got voluntarily segregated and general population prisoners in one unit, which means we’re having to split the unlock for that day so they’re only getting half the time out that they should.”

Meanwhile, the number of directed segregations—those imposed by prison staff due to risk to others—also rose sharply, from 2,594 in 2018/19 to 4,590 in 2023/24, with over 2,300 of those being for the safety of others. Du Plessis explained that these prisoners are often actively threatening others, leading to increased violence and the need for isolation.

University of Canterbury sociologist Jarrod Gilbert, who released a report in March calling for segregated wings for gang-affiliated prisoners, warned that the situation is becoming increasingly dire. His research showed that the segregated prison population has risen from 4% in 1983 to over 35% in 2023.

“If prisoners don’t join a gang, they have to be able to stand up for themselves,” Gilbert said. “Your chicken’s going to be taken off you, any goods that you might have are going to be taken off you, you’ll be stood over, physically intimidated, potentially made to fight. A lot of people simply can’t handle that.”

Gilbert expressed concern that voluntary segregation is becoming the new normal, effectively creating two distinct prison systems: one for the strong and dominant, and another for those who are forced to leave.

The Department of Corrections has acknowledged the complexity of the situation, noting that the rise in voluntary segregation coincides with a growing prison population and an increasing number of gang-affiliated prisoners. It has stated that efforts are underway to address the issue, including careful placement planning and intelligence sharing with police to disrupt gang activity.

Neil Beales, deputy commissioner for men’s prisons, emphasized the focus on helping prisoners leave gangs through education and rehabilitation programs. Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell expressed confidence in the tools available to manage the situation, stating that they are used appropriately in the best interests of both staff and prisoners.

As the prison system grapples with the challenges of gang-related violence and segregation, the need for effective, long-term solutions becomes increasingly urgent.