NZQA registered unit standard
14642 version 5
Page 1 of 5
Title
Conduct prisoner and security searches in a prison environment
Level
4
Purpose
Credits
6
This unit standard is for people working as officers in a prison
environment and covers conducting prisoner and security
searches.
People credited with this unit standard are able to:
 isolate individual prisoner and search area;
 conduct search in a prison environment;
 manage search outcome in a prison environment;
 manage unauthorised items and exhibits obtained during
search; and
 record results of prison search.
Classification
Offender Management > Prison Safety and Security
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
This unit standard is intended for workplace assessment.
2
Boundaries of unit standard
This unit standard covers rubdowns, scanner, and x-ray searches and cell, prison
worksite and personal property searches. It does not cover internal cavity searches.
This unit standard does not cover searches of staff and prison visitors and their
personal property or vehicles which are covered by Unit 27295, Conduct nonprisoner and property searches in a prison environment.
This unit standard does not cover the use of x-ray and electronic scanner equipment
which is covered by Unit 27293, Operate x-ray and electronic scanning equipment in
a prison environment.
ElectroTechnology Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 100401
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
14642 version 5
Page 2 of 5
3
References
Corrections Act 2004;
Corrections Regulations 2005;
Crimes Act 1961;
Crimes of Torture Act 1989;
Criminal Justice Act 1985;
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992;
New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990;
Parole Act 2002;
Privacy Act 1993;
PS Operations Manual, Department of Corrections, available at
http://www.corrections.govt.nz/policy-and-legislation/ps-operations-manual.html;
Sentencing Act 2002;
and their subsequent amendments or replacements.
4
Definitions
Drugs – prescription medicines and illicit drugs.
IOMS – Integrated Offender Management System.
Prison environment – any area, within a prison site or external to a prison site where
prisoners are held, such as a cell block, within the prison perimeter, on a prison farm,
in a vehicle transporting prisoners.
Prohibited items – items identified in P.01, Schedule 04 of PSOM.
Search – may include but not limited to – strip searches, rub-downs, x-ray searches,
scanner searches; prisoner search, site and cell search, property search, prison
worksite search.
Search equipment – may include but not limited to – gloves, mirrors, hand-held
scanners.
Unauthorised items – those items that prisoners must not have access to within
prisons, in accordance with sections 3 (unauthorised items) and 43(2) of the
Corrections Act 2004.
5
Assessment range
a Performance of the outcomes of this unit standard must meet all the principles of
behaviour and criteria as detailed in the Prison Services Operations Manual
(PSOM), Department of Corrections (available at
http://www.corrections.govt.nz/policy-and-legislation/ps-operations-manual.html),
the Department of Corrections Code of Conduct, other documented national
policies and procedures, and prison-specific procedures.
b The range statements in this unit standard must be applied according to prisonspecific equipment, procedures, and processes.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Isolate individual prisoner and search area.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Carry out isolation activities.
ElectroTechnology Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 100401
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
1.2
14642 version 5
Page 3 of 5
Identify locations of individuals in relation to search area and individuals to be
searched and implement actions to ensure adherence to all standards.
Outcome 2
Conduct search in a prison environment.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Advise individuals of their rights and explain the process.
Range
may include but not limited to – prisoner search, site and cell
searches, prison worksite search.
2.2
Apply health and safety procedures and equipment requirements for all
searches.
2.3
Carry out site and cell searches.
2.4
Carry out prisoner searches.
2.5
Use search equipment.
2.6
Identify unauthorised and prohibited items.
Range
unauthorised items include but are not limited to – drugs, alcohol,
weapons, chemicals, money.
Outcome 3
Manage search outcome in a prison environment.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Determine whether charges are to be laid against individuals found with
prohibited and/or unauthorised items based on the assessed risk, incident,
nature and quantity of items and in consultation with relevant officers.
Outcome 4
Manage unauthorised items and exhibits obtained during search.
Evidence requirements
4.1
Maintain chain of evidence integrity.
4.2
Remove unauthorised items and exhibits from search area.
4.3
Securely store unauthorised items and exhibits and make available to
authorised people when required for legal action.
ElectroTechnology Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 100401
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
14642 version 5
Page 4 of 5
4.4
Describe the process of disposing of items and exhibits within required
timeframes.
4.5
Return unauthorised items not subject to charges to stored prisoner property.
Outcome 5
Record results of prison search.
Range
may include but is not limited to – incident reports, misconduct forms, IOMS,
exhibit forms, search and lock up book, registers, evidence register, notebook;
evidence of three is required.
Evidence requirements
5.1
Record search information completely, concisely, accurately, and legibly in the
required format and scheduled timeframe.
Planned review date
31 December 2016
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
29 June 1999
30 June 2012
Revision
2
3 April 2001
30 June 2012
Review
3
25 July 2006
30 June 2012
Review
4
17 September 2010
30 July 2012
Review
5
20 May 2011
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0003
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, or
an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can
report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading
to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
ElectroTechnology Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 100401
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
14642 version 5
Page 5 of 5
Consent requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations
wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for
tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the ElectroTechnology Industry Training Organisation
reviewcomments@etito.co.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit
standard.
ElectroTechnology Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 100401
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016