Focus programme

Focus is a rehabilitative programme for prisoners in Youth Offender Units. Prisoners take part in the modules Motivation, Basic, Advanced and Maintenance according to individual motivation and ability.

Programme facilitators deliver the programme to groups of up to eight prisoners, helping them acknowledge their offending, learn how to break their offending cycle, learn how to cope with uncomfortable or negative feelings and practise using skills to get on better with others.

Focus aims to address the offending needs of prisoners in Young Offender Units by helping prisoners to:

• acknowledge their offending
• gain a positive understanding of themselves (self-concept), which enables them to address their offending
• understand the need for future planning to interrupt the offending cycle in their own life
• explore and learn how to cope with uncomfortable feelings
• practise using pro-social skills in their interaction with others.

Length of programme

• 10-12 weeks for each of the three Focus modules The complete programme takes approximately 36 weeks.
• Motivation Focus: sessions of  2 – 3 hours a week.
• Basic Focus: sessions of 6 hours a week.
• Advanced Focus: sessions of 6 hours a week.
  Note: It is not expected that all participants in Basic Focus will progress through to participation in Advanced Focus.

Location

The Focus Programme is delivered in the three Young Offender Units, located at:

• Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison
• Waikeria Prison
• Christchurch Men's Prison.