Andrew Peter McGlynn, 58, has been in and out of prison since he was first jailed by the High Court at Christchurch in 1986 for murder using a firearm.
It is understood his eight releases, and subsequent returns to prison, make him the most recalled killer in the country.
Violence and aggravated robberies are among the 26 convictions he has accrued while on parole since committing murder
McGlynn appeared before the Parole Board again last month, but chairwoman Jan-Marie Doogue declined another release, citing two "highly concerning" incidents just days apart which took place at the Otago Corrections Facility.
On September 16, the prisoner advanced "aggressively" towards one Corrections staff member, holding a knife and challenging them to a fight.
The board heard McGlynn lunged towards the officer and made contact with his hand.
Two days later, he threw a white cylindrical object from his cell door which hit another Corrections officer in the chest.
"All of the misconducts were unprovoked and suggest that Mr McGlynn is suffering from low mood and an inability to control his temperament," Ms Doogue said.
McGlynn told the board he knew when he was becoming unwell but found it hard to inform people because previous such disclosures had seen him recalled to prison.
Ms Doogue noted there was a recommendation McGlynn be referred to psychological services for brief treatment to review his safety planning and to assist him to "broaden his repertoire of coping skills".
"Mr McGlynn very candidly said that while he knows how to get out of prison, he has grave difficulty in staying out of prison.
"He finds being in the community very stressful having been in prison for such a long period of time," she said.
A positive, the board noted, was the inmate was supported by an articulate whānau.
Previous releases to various facilities had been unsuccessful and Ms Doogue suggested McGlynn might consider planning towards serving parole with family members.
"There is a lot of water to go under the bridge in that respect, but it is one option that he might like to work on," she said.
McGlynn remained a high-security prisoner until his next review in March.
