ONE SEARCH RULE FOR ALL AT PRISONS

Anyone visiting a prison - including police, judges or MPs - can now be
searched.

Prison Service general manager Phil McCarthy said the new security policy
provided added protection to staff and visitors.

It covered all entrants to a prison site - including staff, managers,
judges, police, overseas delegates, service providers, and statutory
visitors such as MPs.

Previous search efforts concentrated on inmates' visitors, Mr McCarthy said.

Prisons were working to stop drugs and other contraband entering jails, and
having a single search policy meant no one group was treated differently.

"The new policy fits within the law, which allows for any person entering a
prison to be searched.

"It brings New Zealand in line with international best practice of
corrections jurisdictions such as Britain and Australia, where such
searching is already routinely carried out."

Searches would be done at random.

"The policy is similar to the 'any time, anywhere' approach of driver
alcohol testing. What it establishes is the principle that any entrant to a
prison site may be searched."

Last year, about 5000 visitors' vehicles were searched at prisons,
resulting in 80 arrests.