ABSTRACT
New Zealand, as a small nation, has a high rate of incarceration. Conversely, New Zealand also has the advantage of implementing (or, if need be, disestablishing) initiatives rapidly. This ability to mobilise resources in tandem with a sensitivity to research and evaluation has positioned New Zealand's correctional system as a model of effective prisoner management, and it provides an example that those from other countries can learn from. However, violence has been an intertwined aspect of the corrections context since the earliest days. This chapter takes a historical view of prison violence in a New Zealand context and institutional responses to it in light of an ecological view. Critical case examples include Mangaroa (staff assaults on prisoners—1990s), Paremoremo (assaults on staff—2000s), Mt Eden (Fight clubs—2010s), and Waikeria (riot—2020s).
