Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Corrections Act 2004

Corrections system - Coercive powers - Searching of prisoners and other persons

98C: Strip search of prisoner required in specified circumstances

You could also call this:

"Prisoners must have a strip search in certain situations to keep everyone safe."

Illustration for Corrections Act 2004

When you are a prisoner, you must have a strip search in certain situations. You will have a strip search when you first go to a prison and when you are moved to a different prison. You will also have a strip search if you are an at-risk prisoner, which means you might hurt yourself or someone else. This will happen when you go into a special cell for at-risk prisoners, until a plan is made to keep you safe, and in situations that are part of your safety plan.

If you are an at-risk prisoner, you might not need a strip search every time you go into a special cell. This is if you have already had a strip search when you arrived at the prison or as required by section 98D(1), and an officer has been watching you since then. An officer must also think that another strip search is not necessary.

As a prisoner, you will be treated according to these rules to keep you and others safe.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS996463.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Police and safetyCrime and justice > Criminal law
Previous

98B: Rub-down search of prisoners, or

"Prison officers can search prisoners by rubbing them down to find forbidden items and keep everyone safe."

Next

98D: Strip search of prisoner for purpose of detecting unauthorised item, or

"Prison officers can do a strip search if they think you have something you're not allowed to have."

Part 2Corrections system
Coercive powers: Searching of prisoners and other persons

98CStrip search of prisoner required in specified circumstances

  1. Every prisoner must be required to undergo a strip search conducted by an officer—

  2. on first being admitted to a prison; and
    1. on being received in a prison on transfer from another prison.

      1. Every at-risk prisoner must be required to undergo a strip search conducted by an officer—

      2. each time the prisoner enters an at-risk cell, until an at-risk management plan is established for the prisoner:
        1. in the situations set out in the at-risk management plan for the prisoner.

          1. Subsection (2)(a) does not apply if—

          2. a strip search has been conducted under subsection (1) or section 98D(1); and
            1. the prisoner has been supervised by an officer since the strip search was conducted; and
              1. an officer (who may be the same officer as under paragraph (b) or a different officer) considers a strip search under subsection (2)(a) to be unnecessary.

                Notes
                • Section 98C: inserted, on , by section 28 of the Corrections Amendment Act 2024 (2024 No 41).