Purpose
Maori Focus Units aim to reduce an offender's risk of re-offending by:
- Helping participants understand and value their Maori culture and its evolution.
- Helping participants understand how their Maori culture influences themselves, their families and their communities.
- Motivating participants to change their behaviours with the support of other intervention programmes provided by the Department.
- Staff and prisoners working together to learn and apply the principles of tikanga (correct procedure) Maori to thoughts, beliefs and actions.
Eligibility
To be admitted to a Maori Focus Unit, prisoners must have :
- Attended a tikanga Maori programme in order to gain an insight into the Unit's environment.
- A minimum and low medium security status.
- Passed a selection process.
Prisoner obligations
To remain in the Maori Focus Unit prisoners must:
- Comply with the Maori Focus Unit behavioural guidelines.
- Remain drug free.
The units themselves
- The first Maori Focus Unit opened at Hawkes Bay Prison in 1997. Since then, Maori Focus Units have been established at Waikeria, Tongariro/Rangipo, Rimutaka and Wanganui Prisons.
- Each Maori Focus Unit is housed in a stand-alone 60-bed unit.
- Units are open to all nationalities
