• No photos or pictures on the walls.
• No stereos (radio/CD player).
• Paper plates and bowls only.
• Prison issued clothing only (to include: 2 jumpers; 2 sweatpants; 2 T shirts;
2 shorts; 1 pair of Jandals (‘flip-flops’) to be worn within the unit and yard.
Shoes allowed outside the unit only, and will be kept by staff.
There were no special provisions to ensure that women have access to things
which are likely to be particularly important to them, including the ability to
maintain cleanliness and personal hygiene to a degree which was satisfactory
to them.
“We can’t even mop our rooms. There is no room for any kind of normality.
We can’t even do our washing”.
“It’s very punitive here. We’re not allowed property. We’re not allowed to use
the washing machine. We want more time on the phone”. (Women at ARWCF).
“As well as being held in solitary confinement for
an average of 22.5-23.5 hours a day, conditions of
confinement and security arrangements for women in
segregated housing were identical to those for men.
This included being handcuffed to the back of the
body whenever leaving the cell (‘progression’ involved
being cuffed to the front of the body), and a 3-4 person
unlock...”
Searches and security procedures
Alongside the daily cell searches and a requirement for all women to be
handcuffed when outside their cell, the measures discussed above potentially
contributed to the heightening of tensions between staff and the women, with
no clear security rationale.38
Other standard practices included a requirement for women to
“kneel facing the back of the cell and place her hands behind her back. Staff
will place handcuffs on her before she leaves the cell. She will be moved
38
On practices in the unit see also Reserved Decision of Judge McNaughton in R v Bassett Manukau CRI-2019092-012895, 4 February 2021.
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