BackThe Chief Ombudsman is calling on the Department of Corrections to never again use spit hoods on vulnerable prisoners including young people and disabled people.
Peter Boshier has made the recommendation in one of two reports published on 25 July 2023, following inspections at the minimum-to-high security Christchurch Women’s Prison and Wellington’s Arohata Prison.
Mr Boshier says both prisons have positive aspects including programmes that recognise the importance of tikanga to a prisoners’ wellbeing and acknowledges the genuine care and concern shown by prison staff for the wellbeing of prisoners.
But he says repeated and serious concerns need to be addressed.
”I was concerned to find at Christchurch Women’s, that a spit hood – a restraint device that goes over a person’s head and is designed to stop people biting and spitting at prison officers - had been used on a young prisoner with complex mental health issues,” Mr Boshier says.
“The trauma associated with this type of restraint on young and vulnerable people cannot be underestimated. Spit hoods are also considered a suffocation risk. In this instance, there didn’t appear to be imminent risk justifying the use of this type of force.
“I am not alone in expressing my deep concern about this practice. Multiple human rights watchdogs have called for the total ban on their use on children and young people in detention.
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Source: The Office of the
