Deaths at Invercargill Prison over the past decade

Warning: this story contains the theme of suicide

Two suicides and three suspected suicides have taken place at Invercargill Prison in the past decade, with another death from natural causes.

Dr Juanita Ryan, deputy director of health at the Department of Correctional Services, released the figures following an Official Information Act request.

New Zealand’s prison population has declined in recent years, but Ryan said prison staff were caring for increasing numbers of people (including defendants on remand) with mental health and disability issues.

About 62% of inmates nationally met the diagnostic threshold for mental health or substance use disorders in the past 12 months, and 91% would meet the criteria over their lifetime.

Ryan said Invercargill Prison took its duties to ensure the safety of those incarcerated seriously.

He arranged meetings between mental health services and inmates in need, and a mental health nurse and clinician worked on site with inmates with mild to severe mental health issues.

Men at Invercargill Prison could self-report or be referred by staff.

Ryan said Invercargill Prison also provided prisoners with strategies to cope with change and prepare for release or sentencing.

All deaths in custody were investigated by the Inspectorate’s independent office and if the Inspectorate’s recommendations were accepted they would be acted upon, she said.

In New Zealand prisons, new inmates were assessed on their physical and mental health needs, including whether they were at risk of self-harm or suicide. Staff also assessed inmates if their behavior was concerning.

“Our health department staff work hard to ensure that all incarcerated people receive a level of health care reasonably equivalent to that available to the public,” Ryan said.

New Zealand prisons have health centers and disability, mental health and substance abuse services.

Ryan said the causes of suicide were complex and prisoners were a high-risk group.

“As we have become more aware of the level of significant mental health issues among incarcerated people, our role has expanded to strengthen our response to meet the needs of this group.”

Correctional Services has undertaken two reviews of suicides and unnatural deaths in custody since 2010 and, as a result, established a Suicide Prevention Advisory Committee and developed a Suicide Prevention and Postvention Action Plan 2022-2025 .

In 2022, following a sharp increase in incidentsThe Director-General of Correctional Services has commissioned the Inspectorate to undertake a review of suicides and self-harm incidents in prisons between 2016 and 2020.

“We are committed to learning from all prison suicides and doing everything we can to prevent further deaths of this nature,” Ryan said.

Deaths in Invercargill prison over the past decade

– 2014/2015 – 1 suicide*​

– 2015/2016 – 1 suicide*​

– 2016/2017 – 0​

– 2017/2018 – 0​

– 2018/2019 – 1 natural cause*​

– 2019/2020 – 0​

– 2020/2021 – 1 suspected suicide​

– 2021/2022 – 0​

– 2022/2023 – 1 suspected suicide​

– 2023/2024* – 1 suspected suicide​

*As of October 24, 2023 – The first three causes of death on this list have been certified by the coroner.

Source: Department of Corrections

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