WEAPONS IN JAIL - THE LIST'S GROWING

An alarming amount of weapons are being found at Waikato's Waikeria
Prison, the Corrections Department has been forced to reveal.

An air rifle and two explosive devices designed to knock people out
were among weapons confiscated at Waikeria Prison last year - and
officials have revealed they are seeing more weapons than ever.

Statistics released to the Waikato Times under the Official
Information Act reveal that 29 weapons - including 13 knives, four
batons, three metal bars, two thunder flashes (explosive devices) and
an air rifle - were discovered within the prison's grounds last year.

Startlingly, in just the first two months of this year, 21 weapons
were confiscated, including nine knives and nine other sharpened objects.

In 2003, just - three knives and some ammunition were
found.

Waikeria Prison regional operations manager Gavin Dalziel put the rise
down to several factors; it was relative to what was happening in
society, the prison was rural and isolated, and there were more
prisoners. Staff were also better at finding weapons and drugs.

"There are far more opportunities for people to come on to our
property because of our isolation," he said.

"I have worked here (Waikeria) for 30 years and there are ups and
downs in terms of the types of prisoners we have - more violent or
less - and it is a very hard thing to tackle.

"But there has been a huge increase in the number of prisoners and I
am extremely proud of my staff who manage a job in settings not easy
to work in."

Corrections Association of New Zealand national president Beven Hanlon
said because of staff shortages, prisoners were not allowed out of
their cells as often, and were spending more time alone with
"mischievous ideas" that led to making weapons.

"It does show that staff are doing a fantastic job. It's the staff who
are finding these items generally - not fancy machines or dogs."

Waikeria prisoners also liked cellphones, with 61 phones, nine SIM
cards and 28 charging devices found last year. Ten phones and four
chargers were confiscated in January and February this year - compared
with only two phones in all of 2003.

Other banned items found much more often included pornography (11
items last year, five this January and February, none in 2003) and
tattoo equipment (18 items in 2005, seven in the first two months this
year, five in 2003).

Seizures of drugs and items such as bongs were also up. In 2003, 258
items, mostly cannabis, were seized, compared with 310 in 2005. In
January and February, 42 items were found. Nationwide, more items were
taken off prison visitors.

In 2003, 698 items were confiscated; by 2005 that had more than
doubled to 1509 items. Drugs and drug-related equipment accounted for
the majority of seizures at checkpoints, at 1061 items.

The Corrections Department said tougher detection methods meant more
contraband was found.

National systems and security manager Karen Urwin said there was
increased surveillance at checkpoints and within prisons using drug
dogs, television monitoring in visitor areas, scanning equipment and
random searches.

"In spite of tough penalties and a much greater chance of getting
caught, people seem more determined than ever to get prohibited items
into prisons, with 311 drug or drug-related utensil confiscations from
visitors in the first two months of 2006," she said.

Seventeen per cent of more than 3000 random drug tests on prisoners
were positive in the 2004-05 financial year.

Cannabis remains the most frequently detected drug, but there was a
rise in amphetamine-type drugs.