Regional Reintegration Teams Profile

What is the purpose of a Regional Reintegration Team?

The purpose of a Regional Reintegration Team is to work in collaboration with Case Officers and other Corrections' staff to provide prisoners with support - to enable them to address their social/living or reintegration needs. Support is available from the beginning of a prisoner's sentence through to their release.

Who forms the Regional Reintegration Teams?

Regional Reintegration Teams are made up of Regional Reintegration Team Leaders, Reintegration Caseworkers, Social Workers and Whanau Liaison Workers.

Where are they located?

There are five Regional Reintegration Teams, made up of approximately 7-9 members, who service prisons throughout the country. These teams are split up according to regions; Northern, Waikato/Central, Midland, Wellington and South Island.

How do prisoners obtain the assistance of the Regional Reintegration Teams?

Prisoners are referred to a Regional Reintegration Team by Sentence Planners, Principal Corrections Officers or Case Officers, as part of their sentence management process. Once a referral is received, the Regional Reintegration Team Leader will then delegate to the appropriate Regional Reintegration Team member.

Social Worker

Social Workers are responsible for assisting prisoners whilst they are serving their prison sentence. Their key duties include:

• Assessing prisoners' immediate social needs on entry to prison.
• Supporting prisoner's safe and humane containment/living needs throughout their sentence.
• Coordinating matters pertaining to mothers and babies.

Eligibility for Social Worker intervention:

• All prisoners on induction to prison.
• Prisoners with issues that have significant legal considerations e.g. protection orders.
• Prisoners with issues such as child protection/custody matters, that require input from a specialist with knowledge of government or community agency systems and procedures.
• Prisoners that require facilitated meetings with family/whanau, professionals and other persons from the community.
• Prisoners with complex issues that cannot be resolved by the case officer.
• Prisoners, for whom assessment is required of their suitability for caring for their baby in prison including those that may require segregation.

Reintegration Caseworker

Reintegration Caseworkers aim to reduce re-offending by helping prisoners prepare robust reintegration plans for their reintegration back into the community.

Eligibility for Reintegration Caseworker intervention:

• All prisoners, who on release, will be under the age of twenty.
• Mainstream prisoners with three or more reintegration needs e.g. obtaining employment, managing relationships, pro-social community support.
• Prisoners with one or more complex reintegration needs.

Whanau Liaison Worker

The Whanau Liaison Worker is a dedicated resource for prisoners in Maori Focus Units and/or the Northland Region Corrections Facility. The Whanau Liaison Worker develops support mechanisms that assist the well being, rehabilitation and effective reintegration of prisoners through liaison with whanau, hapu, iwi and community agencies.

Eligibility for Whanau Liaison Worker intervention:

• Maori Focus Unit/Northland Region Corrections Facility prisoners undertaking Maori Therapeutic Programmes.
• Maori Focus Unit/Northland Region Corrections Facility prisoners with whanau related needs.
• Maori Focus Unit/Northland Region Corrections Facility prisoners with reintegration needs.

Contact details

Northern Regional Reintegration Team:

Services - Auckland Prison, Mt Eden Prison, Auckland Central Remand Prison, Northland Regional Corrections Facility, Auckland Region Women's Corrections Facility.

Contact - psreintegration-northern@corrections.govt.nz

Waikato/Central Regional Reintegration Team:

Services - Waikeria Prison, Tongariro/Rangipo Prison, Spring Hill Corrections Facility

Contact - psreintegration-waikato_central@corrections.govt.nz

Midland Regional Reintegration Team:

Services - Hawkes Bay Prison, New Plymouth Prison, Wanganui Prison and Manawatu Prison.

Contact - psreintegration-midland@corrections.govt.nz

Wellington Regional Reintegration Team:

Services - Rimutaka Prison, Arohata Prison and Wellington Prison.

Contact - psreintegration-wellington@corrections.govt.nz

South Island Regional Reintegration Team:

Services - Christchurch Men's Prison, Christchurch Women's Prison, Rolleston Prison, Invercargill Prison and Otago Corrections Facility.

Contact - psreintegration-southisland@corrections.govt.nz