Download PDF Version of Corrections News August 2004 (pdf: 629KB)
Inside:
- Violence prevention at Rimutaka Prison
- Women first to get licenced
- Offenders help with flood cleanup
- Inmates weave magic for Youthline
New Year brings new office for Whakatane staff
The opening of the new Community Probation Service (CPS) Whakatane Service Centre last month coincided with celebration of the Māori New Year Matariki.
Instead of being spread across different locations, the opening of the new purpose-built centre sees all 14 staff under one roof.
Peri Mason, Service Centre Manager says it’s a new beginning for staff and will ensure better delivery of services.
Services from the centre include the management of home detainees and community work parties, as well as the provision of sentence management plans for paroled offenders and pre-sentencing reports for the local court.
The building has an open plan layout and special rooms to cater for programme delivery and offender interviews. There is also a meeting room to host larger gatherings. The foyer features taonga (treasures), including a miniature taiaha, a spear-shaped weapon, carved by a former Tikanga Māori Programme graduate. Also on the wall hang three small flax bags representing the traditional baskets - knowledge, spirituality and aroha (love).
What is Matariki? For Māori, Matariki is traditionally a time to reflect on the past year, and to celebrate the future. This year, Matariki began on 19 June with the rise of the twinkling star cluster also known as the Pleiades.
There are two translations of the Māori name; mata riki meaning tiny eyes; and mata ariki, meaning eyes of god.
Towards the end of May each year, Matariki rises on the North East horizon on the same spot as the rising sun, around half an hour before dawn. The New Year celebrations are held on the sighting of the next new moon.
Demand Pressures
Chief Executive's Comment
The past several years have brought a considerable amount of change, some of it internally generated, with more recent changes as a result of implementing the policy programme of the government.
The tail end of our changes to offender management practices overlapped with the implementation of the sentencing and parole reform legislation and much effort was expended to handle both changes as well as possible.
These pressures were later added to when the numbers for home detention turned out to be much greater than forecast, and the number of parole hearings required under the new legislation turned out to be significantly more than expected. Coupled with the transition to new community sentences, Probation and Offender Services (POS) was placed under strain, which it has weathered.
Now, when we cast our eyes forward, we look to be heading into a more stable period, at least in terms of volumes albeit possibly at higher base points than earlier thought.
Public Prisons Service (PPS) was also affected by changes in the parole volumes, which came at a time when other changes were still in the throes of being digested. Over the past 12 months or so it has been PPS’s turn to be further affected by the consequences of policy changes stemming from changes to sentencing-related legislation.
Prison population numbers have grown well ahead of forecasts and are now placing demands on us similar to those experienced by POS. While we have built some contingency capacity into the system over recent years, that is becoming very stretched and the overall situation is unlikely to improve before November. All options to cope with the situation are being explored and I am extremely appreciative of the assistance the Police have offered.
The Northland Region Corrections Facility remains on track for completion and commissioning will commence next year. The government has recently agreed to expand the size of the Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility from 150 to 286. All legal impediments to commencing work on this facility and the men’s one at Springhill have been removed and earthworks activity will start within weeks. However, we are also looking at whether we have enough capacity until these two facilities come on-stream in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
The circumstances the Department as a whole has faced over the past couple of years or so tend to be par for the course for corrections, if overseas experience is anything to go by. Even when one plans for the future, allowing for tolerance for variability between forecasts and actuality, it is difficult to know what exactly will happen with critical factors such as changes to Police priorities and clearance rates, and changes in judicial sentencing behaviour.
In recent years these volume changes have placed considerable demands on a number of our people. I appreciate the tremendous efforts made to cope with what has been a whole-of-department contribution.
I thank all involved for what has been achieved in dealing with increased demand while at the same time maintaining a strong effort to continue our efforts in reducing re-offending. We remain committed to providing the capacity to restore a balanced operating environment proportionate to the extra numbers of offenders involved. While I believe that, come November, we will have weathered the worst, there is no room for complacency and we must continue to look forward and, if needed, develop options for consideration.
Mark Byers
Chief Executive
Youth Unit products win award
Christchurch Prison’s Youth Unit skillbased workshop has linked with local college students to create an award-winning fledgling woodwork business.
The link between the inmates and a group of year 12 students from private girls school Marian College may at first seem unlikely, but it has worked brilliantly, says Unit Manager John Howard. The business, called Wonder Chests Ltd, won best presentation at the recent regional Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) awards.
Yes is an annual national competition open to college student groups, who use entrepreneurial skills to establish a business. When John heard that the students were looking for a group to make wooden sea chests, which could be customised for individual customers, he made the logical link.
Corrections Inmate Employment quoted the group prices, product examples were produced, and an agreement was reached.
The inmates make the chests as part of their regular skill-based woodwork shop time. “It was not just a matter of saying we could do the work,” said John. “There was a question of skill level - these products are being sold to the market.
“The guys in the unit have really stepped up and done the job well.”
One of the unit members, 18-year-old George, said he has made around 20 chests so far.
“I am pretty proud of what I have built, I might do this kind of thing in my own time, when I get out.” The chests can be ordered in two sizes, with items such as whiteboards, chessboards or CD cases built in.
The only parts not made on-site are the metal handles. Each chest is made out of stained pine and comes with a guarantee. “The inmates have learnt new, transferable skills they will be able to take to prospective employers,” said John. The chests can be ordered through Marian College in Christchurch.
Marae receives royal rebuild
When the people of Huria Marae in Tauranga realised they were behind schedule for the opening of their new meeting house by the Māori Queen, they called the Community Probation Service (CPS) to help them finish the work.
The marae restoration had been a twoyear project, focusing on dismantling and rebuilding the meeting house. However, with three weeks to go before the opening, there was a large amount of work needed to bring the grounds up to standard.
Community Work Supervisor Dan Rolleston oversaw offenders working on projects around the marae during the three weeks, and said the work party members were enthusiastic about the work.
“Everyone was determined to do a great job and some voluntarily worked extra days, even in bad weather, to help get everything finished in time for the opening.
“The attitude was amazing, one person finished his required hours on a Thursday, and gave up his Friday and Saturday to go back.”
Project sponsor and chairman of the marae, Des Tata, said they wouldn’t have been ready in time for the opening without the help of CPS.
“It’s completely changed my perception of what people on Community Work sentences can offer the community. They were willing to do whatever was necessary, and I was impressed with the standard of work and their commitment.
“Some of them came in on the day of the opening, and played a major part helping out; they worked solidly and it was great to have them around,” said Mr Tata. Work done by offenders included: spreading topsoil, breaking up and removing old concrete, digging and concreting a courtyard, clearing rubbish, building boxing and concrete borders for gardens, and laying turf.
Huria Marae is the largest marae in Tauranga, and is used widely by the local community for ceremonial and formal functions.
The meeting house was officially opened and blessed by the Māori Queen, Dame Te Atairangikaahu, on 29 May 2004.
Dogs popular educational tool
Invaluable in the fight against drugs and loved by the public, Waikeria Prison dog handler Maurice O’Connor understands why drug dogs are so popular.
He is faced with a seemingly insatiable public interest in his job.
A recent presentation at the New Zealand Prisoners’ Aid and Rehabilitation Society (NZPARS) national conference in Rotorua resulted from an earlier speech Maurice had made to another group.
The NZPARS members asked so many questions about drug dogs the talk ran for four hours.
“‘P’ is one of many drugs that dogs are trained to detect, and it is dangerous and increasingly popular,” says Maurice.
“Using the dogs for public talks helps emphasise just how invaluable they are for detection purposes.”
‘P’ is the street name for pure methamphetamine - a powerful and highlyaddictive form of ‘speed’ - and is fast becoming a drug of choice, says Maurice.
New Zealand has the third worst rate of methamphetamine abuse in the world. “In the presentations, I let them know how to identify somebody who is using the drug, how it is packaged, how it used, how it is sold, and the effects of it,” says Maurice.
“Also how it affects the community as a whole, and the potential damage that ‘clandestine’ or ‘clan’ labs have on the environment.”
National Crime Prevention Coordinator Tony Coyle says the five current dog teams will soon be joined by another three.
“Our drug reduction strategy is focussing on prison border prevention - that is, stopping the drugs from getting into prisons - and the dog teams have a significant impact on that,” he says.
“A ninth team will be based at the Northland Region Corrections Facility, when it opens.”
Within prisons, drugs encourage debts, disorder problems, and stand-over tactics as inmates pressure others to bring in banned goods.
Public Prisons Service random drugs testing results show the use of drugs in prisons has halved over the last five years, and that encourages staff to remain vigilant, says Tony.
Information swap at Waikeria workshop
Waikeria Prison recently hosted a regional workshop for staff from various parts of the Department, in order to share information about their offender-related roles.
The meeting brought together Waikeria Prison’s sentence planners, plus Community Probation Service staff from Rotorua, Tauranga, Taupo and Tokoroa, and the region’s Principal Psychologist.
Ruth Spelman, a senior administrator for the New Zealand Parole Board, also attended and gave a presentation about the Board’s decision-making processes. This was followed by a question and answer session covering parole conditions, home detention, victim and accommodation issues.
Llew Richards-Ward, Rotorua-based Principal Psychologist, explained the psychologists’ role in preparing information for consideration by the Parole Board. He also described the procedure around Section 107 applications, a process where the Department applies to the Parole Board to have highest-risk inmates kept in prison for the full duration of their sentence.
Rounding out the day’s session, the sentence planners and probation officers discussed their roles, exchanging information to inform and aid their counterparts in their day-to-day duties.
The sessions were intensive and informative, says Sentence Planner Chris Williams, with lots of issues being examined and discussed.
“It’s always a positive experience when the different branches of the Department and the Parole Board come together like this,” he says.
“It’s all about closing the gaps between the various parts of the sector, and improving the information flow. If there’s a problem, we can identify any areas needing attention and work through them in a logical fashion.”
Another regional meeting between these groups is planned for later this year.
CE checks out CIE nursery
Chief Executive Mark Byers, inspects blue hygrophila at Rimutaka Prison with Nursery Instructor Wayne Turner and Site Operations Manager Kathleen Masoe. Blue hygrophila (also known as wild wisteria) is grown hydroponically and sold to aquarium rental company Live Environments as a display plant for fish tanks, including the one seen in the television programme Shortland Street. Twelve inmates work in the nursery, where they are able to work towards a National Certificate in Horticulture, with most obtaining the NZQA-approved Health and Safety in the Workplace unit standard.
Kathleen says the nursery has “set the standard” for growing blue hygrophila, even changing the pH level of the plant to make the leaves taste acidic, which means fish are less likely to ruin the display by eating the plants. Approximately 3000 inmates are at work in New Zealand prisons as part of Corrections Inmate Employment programmes run by the Department.
Treating violent offenders at Rimutaka Prison
Some of New Zealand’s most violent offenders are learning new, non-violent ways of behaving at Rimutaka Prison’s Violence Prevention Unit (VPU).
The 30-bed, stand-alone unit has operated at Rimutaka since 1998, and runs intensive group-based programmes for violent offenders from throughout the country. The unit is the only one of its kind in New Zealand, and is operated jointly by the Psychological Service and the Public Prisons Service (PPS).
Its aim is to reduce the number of victims by teaching offenders new ways to think and behave so they don’t react violently. Change takes a lot of time and hard work. The programme challenges some of the most strongly-held beliefs offenders have about themselves, others, and the world generally, and it encourages them to confront and change their violent behaviour.
“Violence is a learned behaviour, which means it can be ‘un-learned’, and non-violent alternatives put in its place,” according to Principal Psychologist, Nev Trainor. “We provide the opportunities and support, but a key challenge for the offenders is to begin developing a pro-social identity and ways of behaving.”
Offenders are selected for the unit from men with convictions for serious violent offences, who are near the end of their sentence and are assessed as being willing and able to change. They cannot have any serious mental health problems and must be able to work in a group.
The programme is timed so that offenders complete it as near as possible to their release date. Most of the men will have a Parole Board hearing while at the unit, and a psychological report sent to the Board will describe the offender’s treatment and progress.
Rehabilitation Worker Caroline Burns says the ability to participate in a group is vital, as the men will work in closed groups of 10 throughout the eight months at the unit. The men start with a month of pre-treatment assessment before moving onto actual treatment. The programme is run in a number of modules, which include looking at the chain of events leading to an offence, developing victim empathy and moral reasoning, learning how to manage emotions, challenging distorted ways of thinking, and improving communication, relationship and problem-solving skills.
“This is very challenging for the men and goes deeply into their beliefs,” says Caroline. “The ability to feel empathy and then act on it is a major factor in preventing much violent offending. We give them an understanding of the impact they have on victims, their families and the community.
“There are a small number of common pro-violent and distorted beliefs. Violent men often see themselves as victims, who have a ‘right’ to be angry. Violent men often believe they are entitled to do what they want, no matter what, and are justified in using violence to achieve their goals.”
Psychologist Jane Dugdale says critically examining these beliefs is very challenging for the men.
“Very few of the men actually enjoy violence, but see it as a means to an end. They want to change, and they come here to develop the skills. Many of them had extremely violent upbringings and have never learned to understand and manage their emotions, or regulate their behaviour. That’s no excuse, but it’s a common factor.”
During the programme, the men work on developing a thorough understanding of their offending pattern. They learn to take responsibility for their actions and increase their awareness of situations, feelings and behaviours that place them at risk of reoffending.
When they can identify ways of better managing themselves, they can avoid behaving violently.
They usually spend 12 hours a week in group therapy, plus individual work as needed. The rest of their time is spent in other activities. The men are encouraged to apply what they have learned in the group sessions to interactions with other inmates and unit staff.
The unit’s success rate is very good. A 2002 evaluation by Nick Wilson and Leon Bakker showed the men who had attended the VPU were only half as likely as comparable offenders to re-offend violently. Not content with its current record, the unit has developed a programme of continuous improvement to make the VPU into a therapeutic community, similar to Kia Marama, where PPS and Psychological Service staff work together towards the same objectives.
A key step towards avoiding re-offending are the whanau support hui, which promote healing in the family and prepare inmates for release and reintegration.
The unit’s manager, Bill Henderson, says the reintegration meetings are often real eyeopeners for the families.
“We get the families together with the offender and unit staff. Not just the therapists, but also the case officers who actively manage them on a daily basis. The families find out how intensive the programme is for the men, and the effort required for them to graduate.
The more involved they are with the reintegration meetings, the more support they give the men when they are released.”
And it’s some of the people who come into the reintegration meetings who help inspire Nev Trainor.
“I notice families, especially ones with little kids, coming to the family meetings at the prison. That’s what drives me, so that those kids don’t become victims or learn to be violent. They are the visible symbols of the importance of our work.”
John’s path away from violence
John is typical of many of the men in the Violence Prevention Unit. His sentence of five years and eight months for three charges of grievous bodily harm and one of kidnapping was the end of a string of periodic detention and community service sentences for assault. “I had learned to deal with issues through violence. I didn’t know when to back off in an argument and I would often end up assaulting people.
“I grew up in Samoa, where discipline was strict. We got caned at school and beaten at home. Dad used to hit all of us, including Mum, and I grew up believing it was acceptable.
“In prison I did a three month anger management course and an ‘alternative to violence’ programme, but they weren’t in-depth enough and I was still having violent thoughts. My case officer was very helpful, and helped me get in here.
“I’ve really had to confront the issues here. It was hard to take what the counsellors were saying, initially. I had a lot of pride, which didn’t help, but I learned to trust them and open up about my personal problems. Learning empathy was a big part of the programme - that module was very powerful.
“I used to bottle my feelings up, but I’ve learned to be more assertive, instead of aggressive. I’ve already used the skills I’ve learned, and other inmates have told me my communication skills have improved.”
John says he is anxious about situations that might arise outside, as he knows they will be the real tests of how he has learned to behave. He has explained what he has learned to his parents. “It was hard for Dad, but he understands me better now. My parents are really good people and I know they will help me when I get out.”
John was recently released from Rimutaka at the end of his sentence, and has gone to live with his parents and work for his father.
He says being at the unit was life changing, and he is determined to keep living by the way he has learned at the unit. “I made a little card to carry with me outside. It says ‘Big picture thinking’ and it’s to remind me to always think of the consequences of what I do.”
VPU Guiding Values
The VPU is a unit in which:
- Communication is open, honest, consistent and transparent
- Actual or implied violence is NOT tolerated
- Drug use in the unit is NOT tolerated
- A safe and humane living and working environment conducive to changing beliefs, attitudes and behaviours that lead to violence is provided
- A culturally balanced environment that respects and enhances the wellbeing of staff and inmates is promoted
- Substantive contributions to reducing re-offending by Māori are effected.
WHAT’S NEW IN THE LITERATURE
Canadian study points to benefits of programmes following release
A recent Canadian study(1) provides some encouragement for those charged with managing offenders while on parole. A large scale investigation, which followed up over 30,000 federal offenders released from prison, found significant benefits for those who had participated in programmes while on parole.
Information was available on the offenders’ treatment needs, their motivation levels, and also an assessment of their risk. Of the total sample of offenders released between 1995 and 2002, a little under half had participated in a variety of programmes including employment, education, substance abuse, personal development, psychological and sex offender treatment and violence programmes. Significantly, some of these programmes were provided by trained professionals, but others were largely delivered by community volunteers.
The investigation also reports that offenders who were rated as highrisk, and with low levels of motivation, were more likely to have programme participation stipulated as a condition of parole. Offenders assessed as having a higher level of overall treatment needs were also more likely to participate in programmes while on conditional release.
The author notes that since 1995 the rate of participation in programmes post-release has been steadily increasing, which corresponds to increased numbers of Community Correctional Centres and Residential Facilities, both of which provide programmes. There is also increased involvement of the community in the criminal justice process and an increase in the number of professionals in the community with expertise in programme delivery. Significantly, not all these programmes appear to be delivered by professionals as programmes offered by self-help agencies such as Alcoholics Anonymous, and by community organisations such as Citizens Advisory Committees, also have an input.
Notwithstanding the probable variability in programme quality and intensity, those offenders who participated in programmes were less likely to return to federal custody with a new offence than non-participants.
These individuals remained in the community significantly longer than those who did not participate in programmes. This result held when risk of further re-offending was controlled for. While these gains were modest, they were highly statistically significant, and the author notes that these positive results, coupled with an increasing involvement of the community in the criminal justice sector, is a positive indicator of future success in the reintegration of offenders into the community.
Kaumatua honoured for contribution to services for offenders
A Hawke’s Bay Kaumatua, Joe Northover, has been honoured by a citation in the Queen’s Brithday Honours list for his contribution to the community.
The citation noted the many community projects he is involved in and highlighted his contribution to the Bicultural Therapy Model (BTM) in the Hawke’s Bay.
Joe sits on the BTM Oversight Committee and has been instrumental in the ongoing success of the model in the Hawke’s Bay, says Alan Hackney, Principal Psychologist.
“For BTM to be a successful intervention for offenders we need to work closely with local iwi. When we established BTM in the Hawke’s Bay we approached the local iwi and the Oversight Committee was formed,” explains Alan.
Bicultural Therapy was established five years ago, and the BTM ensures that the psychological treatment provided to offenders by the Department’s Psychological Service is culturally appropriate and offers support to inmates by cultural experts (including local tohunga or Ma-ori spiritual healers).
“Joe and the committee established guidelines for referrals for treatment, evaluated service providers and provide ongoing monitoring of the service providers and treatment,” explains Alan. Joe says he enjoys his work with the Oversight Committee and feels it makes a valuable contribution to the success of the model.
“My satisfaction comes from seeing the result - BTM is very important in making a real difference for inmates and the result makes all the work worth it.” Joe says the Hawke’s Bay BTM is a strong example of the success that can be achieved when the Department and local communities work closely together.
PPS Midland responds to Māori Strategic Plan
Public Prisons Service (PPS) Midland has taken the Māori Strategic Plan to heart, implementing an intensive training schedule of workshops, wananga and staff events to help its staff increase their responsiveness to Māori.
“We’ve run courses for Māori staff and non-Māori staff on a range of topics. After the initial courses we brought all staff together for a series of workshops on responsiveness,” says Te Waihanea Hakaraia, Regional Adviser, Māori Service Development. “We wanted to create an environment where people felt comfortable asking questions and exploring the issues in a nonconfrontational way.”
Te Waihanea says the training has been well received by staff.
“All the staff who took part in the training have said they now feel more able to work in a culturally sensitive way with offenders.”
Peter Grant, Regional Manager, Midland Public Prisons, says he’s very impressed with the way staff in the region have responded to the training.
“I’m very proud of how motivated the Midland staff have been to make these courses successful. The skills gained from this training are essential to our success in dealing with a wide range of inmates and it is important that management continues to support it as best we can.”
Not all the training has been formalised courses or workshops. Te Waihanea says it’s important to break up the formal parts of the training with some more informal, fun events and activities.
“We’ve also set up several wananga to allow staff to have marae experiences and also organised some staff events - it’s important that we keep it fun. Recently we had a staff barbeque where everyone had to speak Te Reo - even if you only knew two words! We all had a great laugh.”
Te Waihanea says the Māori Strategic Plan was an important step for the Department and she is committed to its aims.
“Increasing the Department’s responsiveness to Māori is key to increasing our effectiveness in reducing re-offending and I’m passionate about translating this into ongoing actions.”
Women first to get licenced
Eight women inmates at Waikeria Prison are the first women inmates in the country to obtain their forklift licence through a course run at the prison.
The course became available after Corrections Inmate Employment (CIE) at the prison looked at what licensing options were available for inmates. A number of spaces were available on the forklift course and, for the first time, women inmates were offered the opportunity to increase their work skills in this area.
Karen McQueen, CIE Site Operations Manager, says many industries are looking for licensed forklift drivers, and the licence remains valid for three years.
The OSH-approved course teaches students theory, and gives them practice in loading and driving the forklift, before they sit theory and practical tests.
Women inmates have only been held at Waikeria Prison for the past 12 months, and one of the work options CIE has developed for them includes a new tailoring shop, to be opened in August. Other opportunities for women inmates to gain industry qualifications while at the prison include work in the kitchens and laundry.
PPS staff to move to Pitcairn Island
There has been a high level of interest from custodial staff who were asked in July for applications to staff a prison on Pitcairn Island.
The British High Commission asked the Department for assistance following announcements that a high profile trial would be held on the island in September. As the island is two weeks’ travel away from New Zealand, it has been necessary to plan for all possible outcomes to the trial. The British Government has built a minumum security prison on the island to allow for the possible imprisonment of the offenders following sentencing.
Department staff who go to the island will be seconded to the British Government. The exact timing has yet to be decided, but it is anticipated that initially six or seven officers will be deployed, and that secondments will be on a three-month rotational basis. All costs of the Department’s involvement will be met by the British Government.
Ian Taylor, Assistant General Manager Operations, said the response from staff had been positive. “It allows our corrections officers the chance to broaden their experience, and we’re happy to be involved, as we have been with similar projects before now.”
Matthew Forbes, the Deputy Governor of Pitcairn Island, said it was logical to ask the Department for assistance based on the Department’s previous experience providing staff to remote locations. The Governor of Pitcairn Island’s office is based in Wellington.
The New Zealand Government has assisted the British Government with the matter, including passing special legislation to facilitate the trial process. The Department provided staff to assist for two years in setting up a prison service in East Timor from April 2000 to March 2002.
Offenders help with flood clean up
Big floods and a swarm of earthquakes hit the North Island’s Eastern Bay of Plenty recently, and local offenders on community work were on hand to help out with the clean up.
In the immediate aftermath of the floods and quakes, work parties from Kawerau, Opotiki and Whakatane assisted workers from Civil Defence and Federated Farmers. The offenders built stop banks and sandbagged the most seriously affected areas in the rural Rangitaiki Plains and the Whakatane suburb of Awatapu.
With flooded septic tanks and dead livestock polluting the slowly receding waters, the job of sandbagging was not pleasant, but offenders were given gumboots and disposable socks and gloves to minimise any health risks.
Work parties, which consist of up to 10 people serving communitybased sentences of between 40 to 400 hours, also cleared roads to flooded houses and hay sheds of winter feed.
Community Probation Service Area Manager Pauline Moran says each job request is assessed on a case-by-case basis. However, there is still a lot to do and offenders will be helping with the big clean up for the foreseeable future.
Inmates Weave Magic For Youthline
A labour of love and a wonderful achievement is how weaving tutor Judy Te Hiwi describes the creation of five hand-woven flax panels by inmates at Mt Eden Women’s Prison.
“They loved it and it was wonderful for their selfesteem because the women have a sense of achievement,” says Judy.
Two of the panels were designed and woven by the inmates, and they also prepared the raw materials, flax and dye, for all five panels.
“That was the hardest bit. The women did it all. Thousands of flax leaves were softened, scraped and cut to exactly the same width,” says Judy.
Telephone counselling service, Youthline, commissioned Judy to weave the four traditional and one contemporary metre-square tukutuku panels for Youthline’s whanau (family) room in Auckland.
Youthline is a volunteer organisation that offers free, confidential telephone counselling to young people.
A part-time prison tutor with over 20 years of weaving experience, Judy knew it was an invaluable opportunity for the inmates. She approached Programme Coordinator, Maryke Halstead, and suggested the women get involved.
“It was a good project for the inmates, especially since a lot of them have kids,” says Maryke. Judy is especially proud of the contemporary panel the women designed, featuring a cloak, a mat and three baskets. It is simple, but rich in symbolism.
“The cloak is embracing, keeps you warm and provides protection. The mat shows that everybody is welcome and the three baskets represent knowledge, spirituality and aroha (love),” says Judy.
The panels were handed over to Youthline in a moving ceremony attended by some of the inmates and Site Manager Jeanette Jackson. Recently the panels had their official unveiling at the Youthline’s offices, attended by prison staff.
“The panels are just beautiful and now we’re looking to expand and do more projects like this,” says Maryke.
If the weaving class is expanded, there will be no shortage of volunteers as the class is popular with Māori and non-Māori inmates. Judy knows several former inmates who have turned their love of weaving gained in prison into livelihoods.
“One now teaches weaving in Whangarei, while another has a market stall selling her weaving,” says Judy.
Inmate awarded first print diploma
New Zealand’s first Print Management Diploma graduate was honoured at a small celebration held in Wellington Prison’s print shop recently. He may not have been wearing the cap and gown most of us associate with a graduation ceremony, but there was no doubting the significance of his achievement.
After four years and hundreds of hours studying, Doug (not his real name), an inmate at Wellington Prison, became the first person to be awarded the new diploma, which combines best practice in print administration with the latest thinking and expertise in business management.
Doug’s ‘graduation’ was a moving tribute to his hard work and determination, and to the contribution of a dedicated group of supporters that included Print Shop Instructor Terry O’Leary, Corrections Officer Vanessa Sutton, Prison Chaplain Mathew Clerkin, and Sally Bray, from the Prisoners’ Aid and Rehabilitation Society (PARS).
After being presented with his certificate, Doug said, “It’s important to celebrate an achievement in a place like this to motivate people to change their lives.”
With no previous printing experience Doug initially doubted he could ever achieve something so significant. But once he completed his first paper, he realised he could do it.
“This is the least I can do... this is the beginning of the new life I want to live.”
Win McDonald, Corrections Inmate Employment service (CIE) Sector Manager, said Doug’s achievement far exceeded the goals of CIE.
“His achievement is a good example of determination, focus and discipline, and illustrates what we’re trying to achieve through our inmate employment programmes.”
1 M Nafekh, Participation of federal offenders in community-based programs, Forum on Corrections Research, May 2003, Vol 15, No.1