'Flexible system' for transgender prisoners
September 25, 2013, 3:23PM

Transgender prisoners will in future be put in jails according to their legal sexual identification, the Government says.

Corrections Minister Anne Tolley has today announced several changes to prison regulations.

In order to be in line with international practice, Mrs Tolley said a more flexible system is being introduced for transgender prisoners.

New Zealand to Allow Transgender Prisoners Transfer of Jail Fit for Their Preferred Sex, Not on Birth Gender
Vittorio Hernandez, September 26th

Prison rapes would hopefully be reduced significantly in New Zealand jails with a new policy by the government to give transgender convicts and accused the option to choose if they would be sent to a male of female facility.

The policy is a big leap from the long-accepted practice in prisons all over the world of sending prisoners to correctional facilities based on their gender at birth.

The policy would apply to any transgender inmate whose birth certificate has not been changed to reflect the new gender of the prisoner so they can move to another jail where inmates belong to their identified or chosen gender, said Corrections Minister Anne Tolley.

Lesbian Greens MP Jan Logle, who lobbied for the change in policy, said, quoted by Gaynz.com, "This change will only affect a few people, but it will affect them deeply and keep them safe from the risk of sexual assault and rape."

http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/509043/20130926/new-zealand-allow-transgender-prisoners-transfer-jail.htm#.UkQpn4ashcY

Excellent news!