Inside:
- Long service recognised
- Offenders take a mixed path to success
- CPS - making tracks around NZ
- Team builds alongside new Northland facility
Partnership with Victim Support signed
The Chief Executives of Corrections and Victim Support recently signed a memorandum of
understanding to formalise the two agencies’ close relationship.
The purpose of the partnership is to ensure cooperation in the provision of services to victims by each of the agencies.
Victim Support provides 24-hour emotional support, personal advocacy and information to all people affected by crime and trauma throughout New Zealand.
Victims of certain crimes are able to apply to the Police to be notified of specific events regarding offenders under the provisions of the Victims’ Rights Act 2002, such as escapes, releases, New Zealand Parole Board (NZPB) hearings and recalls.
Corrections’ Victim Information Manager, Jan Ryan, was appointed to the newly created role in November 2003 to coordinate the administration of the notification system in each of the Department’s sites, as well as maintaining relationships with other agencies such as the NZPB.
“Victim Support helps keep victims informed of their rights, including notification, as well as providing valuable support to all victims,” says Jan.
“The Department is committed to improving victim notification and the agreement with Victim Support is an important element of this.”
Chris Thornborough, Corporate Services Manager, says the new partnership with Victim Support results from the Department’s ongoing concern to ensure victims’ issues are effectively dealt with.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S Comment
Where we are at: Reducing re-offending by Māori
Nobody could avoid noticing the debates swirling around regarding the place of the Treaty of Waitangi in today’s society, and on race versus needs-based publicly funded services and interventions. The strategic stance we have taken vis a vis Māori is not based on any notion of political correctness but is well anchored on a “needs” and “what works” basis.
Māori comprise 50 percent of the inmates in the prison system and are also significantly disproportionately represented as offenders on community-based sentences. We know from factual analysis that Māori on average have a much higher risk of re-offending than other ethnic groups. The reason for that, in part, is a consequence of Māori being disproportionately represented in the lower socio-economic groups in our society.
For Corrections to be successful we need to deliver as best we can to produce more effective and positive results for Māori and move the recidivism statistics downwards.
The development of sentence plans for offenders and all our targeting for interventions are based on objective assessments of criminogenic and other needs, not race.
Among other things the “what works” literature would suggest that responsibility to address offending behaviour may be more effectively achieved if services or interventions are delivered in a manner which the recipient is most likely to relate to. Hence the use of Tikanga Māori programmes which endeavour to identify disconnects between the values of Tikanga Māori and the offender’s actual behaviour, and consequently to seek to motivate offenders to personally address the difference. We know from the evaluation work done to date that this has been a successful approach.
Continuing on the same theme it makes equally good sense, while preserving merit principles, to have a workforce that at all levels is proportionately representative of the offenders being managed. That in itself should improve our understanding of, and our ability to work effectively with, offenders.
We also know as a result of an evaluation undertaken over recent times that programmes with a mix of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Tikanga Māori have stronger effects in reducing targeted offending behaviour for Māori than pure Cognitive Behaviour Therapy programmes. Such blended programmes are equally effective for non-Māori.
There is much evidence to suggest that strong pro-social networks can be an important support to sustain positive behaviour by offenders when they are in community settings. Involving appropriate whanau, hapu and wider Māori community members in the corrections system and the reintegration processes may serve to provide such support and enhance our efforts in reducing re-offending.
In the case of Corrections, Tikanga Māori can be a source of success and make an important contribution to making all of New Zealand society safer. International recognition and acceptance of how the culture and values of indigenous people can be powerful positive influences in corrections systems is gaining momentum and is now seen as part of the future development effort of jurisdictions in similar circumstances to our own.
While the approaches we have adopted have strengthened our potential effectiveness, I do not pretend the journey is over. As in all things we must keep our minds open to new and potentially better things to replace what we are doing now. Similarly we should learn and build upon our current successes so that we continue to lift our game. We also need to shed facets of activity that do not add value.
Mark Byers
Chief Executive
Corrections Bill - a progress report
Laws governing the administration of custodial and community-based sentences and orders are now a step closer to a muchneeded overhaul, with the inclusion of the Corrections Bill in the 2004 legislative programme.
Cabinet last month confirmed that the Bill will be a “priority two” on the legislative programme.
“This indicates that, all going well, the Bill should probably proceed through Parliament by June,” says Jared Mullen, General Manager Policy Development. With the Penal Institutions Act 1954 now half a century old, legislation needs to be updated to reflect modern policies and practices, says Jared.
The Department is currently working on developing new regulations to replace the Penal Institutions Regulations 2000, and these will be put in place once the Bill is passed.
Other Groups and Services are working through implementation issues with a view to having the Bill in force six months after it has completed the House process, says Jared.
Long service recognised
Corrections officers from Dunedin Prison have received special recognition of their dedicated service. From left, Neil Jones-Sexton, Stephen Holmes, Abe Oskam, John Watson, Shann Morrow and Catering Manager Barry Hodges were presented with Long Service and Good Conduct Awards recently. The medals are issued by Royal Warrant and are engraved with each officer’s name. Between them they have 105 years service and all but one have been at Dunedin their entire careers. Photo: Otago Daily Times.
Work party spends days at Days Bay
Sand, sea and sometimes the sun have been part of the mix for offenders working on the Days Bay sand dune regeneration project.
Three days a week for the past year, workers from Lower Hutt Community Probation Service (CPS), could be found at the Wellington seaside settlement weeding, clearing and planting the dunes.
“The area used to be flat and featureless,” says Lower Hutt Probation Officer, Graham Clarke. “Everything we’ve done has really enhanced the area.”
Years of weed growth and rubbish, including a car body, had to be removed before the regeneration work could begin. However, labour was a luxury that project coordinator, Karen Canton, could not afford, despite a grant from Greater Wellington Regional Council.
On the advice of a local city councillor, Karen contacted her Lower Hutt CPS office and in one phone call her labour woes were sorted.
“They did all the grunt work, and have achieved all the goals I set for them,” says Karen.
Each work party is made up of offenders on Community Work, a community-based sentence. Offenders are required to complete 40 to 400 hours unpaid work for community organisations on a part-time or full-time basis.
Even though less “grunt” is now needed, work parties have stayed on in a maintenance role.
Karen is so impressed by their efforts she is looking at other community projects for them. But in the meantime, work continues at Days Bay.
Lower Hutt CPS cleans up Christ Church
In the heart of the light industrial suburb of Taita, Wellington’s oldest Anglican church is a picturesque sight, with its blooming flowerbeds, well-tended gravestones, manicured lawns and neatly shingled paths.
However, the church and its grounds have not always been so attractive. Last year, with 150th anniversary celebrations fast approaching, members of Christ Church Preservation Society realised they were in urgent need of help.
Committee member, Mary Stevens, contacted Lower Hutt office of the Community Probation Service (CPS), and as a result, work parties have helped restore the grounds to their former glory.
“The workers have been absolutely marvellous. It has been a huge job that’s gone on and on,” says Mary.
Each work party is made up of offenders on Community Work, a community-based sentence. Offenders are required to complete 40 to 400 hours unpaid work for community organisations on a part-time or full-time basis.
More than 20 large skips have carted away household rubbish, dead plants, weeds and used hypodermic needles.
“Nearly a century’s worth of waist-deep rubbish has been cleared from here,” says Probation Officer, Graham Clarke, pointing to the church’s fence line.
A lasting reminder of the work parties’ efforts will be a wall of remembrance which is being built at the rear of the graveyard, using recycled timber posts and bricks recovered during the clear-up. Overseeing the wall is Work Party Supervisor and former bricklayer, Tua Fale, who is hoping parishioners will place memorial plaques on the wall in remembrance of loved ones.
Mary, whose parents and grandparents are buried at Christ Church, is delighted with the memorial wall.
“I just love it. It’s very special,” she says. Always grateful for the offenders’ efforts, Mary bakes for the group, although for cultural reasons food is not consumed on site.
“I bring the odd muffin which is always appreciated, however, I want them to feel appreciated because they really do work very hard.”
First baptisms at Faith-based Unit
Two inmates were baptised at Rimutaka Prison’s new Faith-based Unit recently in a full immersion ceremony witnessed by community church group members, prison staff and fellow inmates.
“Baptism is a public expression of an inward change. It’s a declaration of their desire to commit to the Christian faith,” says Lane Groen, Principal Corrections Officer.
Jason* requested baptism not long after the unit opened.
“I came into the unit with the idea that I wanted to change. The programme has opened my eyes to the values of the Christian faith - my priorities have changed, now they rest with the Lord and with my family.
The second baptism took place early this year. David* says he felt baptism was a way to show his commitment to the Lord.
“I wanted change in my life, I wanted to work with Him and to restore myself. Faith gives me a positive direction in life.”
Baptism is not a compulsory part of the programme, Lane explains.
“Each inmate in the programme can choose if he wants to be baptised. There are no criteria other than willingness - baptism is a personal choice. An individual chooses to do it when he is ready and informed enough to pursue his walk with God.”
The Faith-based Unit opened in October last year and has been developed in partnership by Corrections and the Prison Fellowship of New Zealand. The unit provides a therapeutic community environment, characterised by prayercentred daily routine and worship.
The unit is a first for the Department and is based on similar initiatives in the United States.
* Offenders’ names have been changed.
Offenders take a mixed path to success
Offenders graduating from the first Mixed Criminogenic Programme in the Thames area are full of praise for the course and hopeful of an offence-free future.
Participants had varied levels of offending, from committing drug-related or violent crimes to repeat drink-driving. The programme’s focus was on learning new ways to think and act in risk situations, to help reduce the likelihood of reoffending. The course involved a commitment from the participants of 10 hours per week for 10 weeks.
The Department delivers a range of programmes to offenders serving community-based sentences, designed to help them with specific behaviours that can lead to offending, such as alcohol and drug abuse.
Although the Mixed Programme has been used in other parts of the country since 2001, training for local probation officers to facilitate the course has only recently been completed. The programme allows group treatment of offenders with different types and levels of offending where there are insufficient numbers to deliver more specific programmes.
One of the course graduates, Shane, says at first people were reluctant to be there, but that the attitude changed as the course progressed.
“There’s so much in this programme. It has given me a deeper understanding of myself and the changes I have to make. How much we take out of it is up to us.” Another participant, Henry, agrees.
“We’re doing the programme to better ourselves, not just to stay out of jail. It has given me more confidence and a better outlook on life.”
Probation officers Jenny Carman and Ian Miller co-facilitated the course.
“The group members were positive and realistic about their achievements. People learn that how we think and feel affects how we behave. They learn about open and closed minds and different thinking patterns,” says Jenny.
In memory of John Slater
The recent death of John Slater, National Organiser of the Corrections Association (CANZ) was unexpected and sad news.
Prior to becoming National Organiser for the Penal Officers Association (POA) in 1993, which then became CANZ in 1999, John was the National Secretary of the Federation of Labour (the precursor to the Council of Trade Unions).
Public Prisons General Manager Phil McCarthy says that Peter Grant, Midland Regional Manager, spoke for all managers who knew John with the following tribute which appeared in the Midland region newsletters:
“My association with John goes back to the very early days of the Penal Officers Association (POA) and then CANZ. I always enjoyed working with him as he was a man of his word and any advice he gave was always logical and well reasoned. He was a man of considerable integrity who always had the best interests of his members at heart, and he was well able to look at the strategic issues when dealing with a problem. I too always found that he had a very well developed sense of fairness and always considered the best interests of all staff, not just his members, when looking at issues.
“John will of course be sadly missed by the union members he served, many of who were also close friends. I express my deepest sympathies to those friends. I can assure you he will also be missed by management. We have all lost a friend and a person who was making a difference in our lives.”
Minister takes on new portfolio
The Corrections’ Minister, Hon. Paul Swain, has taken on two new ministerial portfolios following a Cabinet reshuffle in late February. The Minister is now also responsible for Labour and Immigration, and has relinquished the Transport portfolio. Mr Swain is also the Minister of Communications, the Minister for Information Technology, and the Associate Minister for Economic Development.
Made By Nature
improved by Community Work parties…
While New Zealand’s spectacular beaches, native forests and scenic reserves have been made by nature, the walking tracks and other facilities are often the work of Community Probation Service (CPS) work parties. Here Corrections News puts on its tramping boots and checks out some of the projects so far.
Seventeen of New Zealand’s 35 native fish species can be found in waters around Wellington, four of which are endangered species. So how is the Porirua office of the Community Probation Service (CPS) helping to save the giant kokopu, blue-gilled bully, brown mudfish and the torrentfish?
For the past six years, offenders serving community-based sentences have been involved in the restoration of the Pauatahanui Inlet wetland salt marshes, the natural spawning ground for these and other fish.
Situated north of Wellington, the inlet’s 20 hectares of marsh is being replanted by offenders, with reeds and grasses grown from seedlings in an on-site nursery.
Workers have also built floating boardwalks to protect delicate plants from being crushed underfoot.
Each work party comprises 10 offenders on Community Work, a community-based sentence. Offenders have to complete 40 to 400 hours unpaid work for community organisations on a part-time or full-time basis. Work Party Supervisor and environmentalist, Carol Exton, is enthusiastic about the project.
“Now I’m paid to do what I have always done on a volunteer basis. I’m employed doing my passion,” says Carol.
An increase in local housing development means more than 8,000 cars pass alongside the wetland area each day. Exhaust fumes, pollutant run-off, dumped rubbish and beach walkers have seen the wetlands’ fragile eco-system all but destroyed.
The joint initiative between the Greater Wellington Regional Council, New Zealand Forest and Bird Society, Department of Conservation and Porirua City Council has seen the return of native birds such as shags, dabchicks, and the banded dotterel.
“This is a huge resting area for migratory birds and it’s wonderful to see them return as their habitat regenerates,” says Greater Wellington Regional Council officer, Nigel Clarke.
“If we didn’t have the Community Probation Service involved, the task just wouldn’t get done.”
Carol encourages the offenders to return to the wetlands with friends and family to show and educate them about their work and the importance of protecting the wetland.
“What they do round here is a good way of righting their wrong,” says Carol.
Making tracks around New Zealand
Work parties build and maintain numerous walking tracks round the countryside for visitors to enjoy. Here are just a few:
- In the far north, Kaikohe work parties maintain the Haruru Falls Track, a seven km track running from the scenic falls to the historical Treaty House at Waitangi.
- Constructing boardwalks over mangrove swamps was hard work for Northland offenders who helped build the Coastal Walkway, a 12 km track on the east coast of Waitangi, with panoramic views of Russell, Opua and Paihia beaches and the landscaped gardens of the Treaty grounds.
- Months of work on the steep slopes of Piha on Auckland’s west coast resulted in the completion of steps connecting Piha Beach to Whites Beach. Other programmes run by Waitakere CPS on west coast beaches include the upkeep of the popular Lion Rock track which sees thousands of visitors a year ascend the 101-metre tall black rock to the lookout.
- Kitchener Park, adjacent to Manfeild racetrack in Feilding, is one of the last existing low-lying wetlands in the country. With the help of offenders from Palmerston North CPS, a track, viewing platform and seat were built, giving walkers a birds-eye view of the forest’s majestic kahikatea grove.
- Since 1997 the Otipua Wetlands Trust has utilised work parties to help create a 30-hectare native wetland. Lying between Timaru and Dunedin, the wetland has seen Timaru offenders plant thousands of native seedlings, help construct a fourhectare lake and shingle several walking tracks.
WHAT’S NEW IN THE LITERATURE
Learning from experience: Implementing offender classification systems
Good offender classification lies at the heart of effective correctional practice. A recent book chapter authored by several prominent practitioners(1) describes their experiences in implementing new offender classification practices. Their experiences cover both provincial and national perspectives, and also draw from learnings in both the state and private sector correctional agencies.
The emphasis of this chapter is on the “lessons learned” from these experiences. They begin by stressing the importance of comprehensive risk assessments, assessments which are based on both static factors and offender needs.
While the evidence supportive of such an approach is now beyond any real debate, the authors note that implementing such processes is far easier said than done. A primary obstacle to be overcome is to gain “a whole of organisation” commitment to offender rehabilitation, an issue which has proved particularly challenging in the United States, unlike Canada, the United Kingdom, and our own jurisdiction.
As far as the classificatory systems themselves are concerned, the authors argue that they should meet six basic criteria.
First they need to be objective, which minimises the capacity for their being distorted by bias and preconceived ideas. Secondly, they need to be capable of being applied reliably; in other words two people would reach the same conclusion when using the instrument to assess the same individual.
They need to be meaningful in that the information which they generate makes sense, and also the scores need to predict relevant outcomes - be that recidivism, or programme suitability.
Ideally such assessments should be capable of reflecting changes which occur in the individual, and also any classification assessment must be able to be applied equally well to individuals and in settings other than those on which they were developed.
On the basis of their extensive experience the authors have produced a checklist of factors critical to effective implementation.
The first of these is a commitment to offender rehabilitation, which provides the basis for developing the approach in the first instance.
Secondly, the selection of an appropriate instrument is vital, an instrument which is appropriate for the specific (and sometimes unique) setting in which it is to be used.
Thirdly, obtaining acceptance by staff is essential, and every effort needs to be made to recruit, train, and support their use of these new processes.
Integrity of classification must be maintained, and it is recommended that this be achieved by close monitoring and quality assurance.
Finally, they emphasise the role of research, in that evaluation and validation will lead to ongoing enhancement and improvement.
Given the very significant changes which have taken place in the way in which Corrections manages offenders, it is interesting and reassuring to note how closely these factors correspond with the way in which the organisation has gone about implementing its new business practices.
David Riley
Director of Psychological Services
Ngai Tahu hikoi to Te Whare Whakaahuru
Four kaumatua from Ngai Tahu went to Rimutaka Prison recently on a fact-finding visit to the Māori Focus Unit, Te Whare Whakaahuru.
The Department currently has five such units in the North Island and is considering opening one in a South Island prison. Pictured front row, from left, are Norm Dewes, Henare Edwards, John Panirau and Kiwa Hutchen.
With them are, back row, from left, Mita Mohi, kaumatua and rangatira of the Mau Rakau programme; Barry Baker, Regional Adviser Māori Service Development - Canterbury; Mark Byers, Chief Executive; Dunn Kaiwai, Unit Manager, Māori Focus Unit; Alby Ellison, Regional Adviser Māori Service Development - Otago/Southland; and Dorreen Mackenzie, Site Manager, Rimutaka Prison.
It’s a long road, finding out what works
A conference in the US and visits to three centres in the UK recently offered valuable insights into “what works” on a day-to-day level in reducing re-offending in key jurisdictions overseas.
Tracy Mellor, Manager Operational Policy and Planning, Probation and Offender Services, says the whistle-stop trip was an intense but rewarding experience.
Following the International Community Corrections Association “What Works XI” conference in Indianapolis, Tracy went to Marion County Community Corrections to see how electronic monitoring is managed there. Home Detention is a stand-alone sentence there, which requires only curfew arrangements to be monitored, and can be for up to eight years.
“I was particularly interested in electronic monitoring methods as we are currently retendering the Home Detention monitoring contract,” says Tracy.
In the UK she met with Home Office advisers to discuss policy on issues such as electronic monitoring, home detention and programmes, before moving on to Derbyshire.
“Derbyshire is acknowledged as one of the Probation Service’s highest performing areas in England and Wales. It was interesting to cover many of those policy areas again, but from an operational perspective,” says Tracy.
“In all visits the organisations were extremely helpful. I was provided with access to key people with the most knowledge about my areas of interest, who were more than willing to talk, answer questions and give additional information to bring back to New Zealand.
“It was a wonderful opportunity to talk to people at length about the different ways of using electronic monitoring and how it works in practice - although their challenges are different. They have to contend with GPS not working on the Underground system, whereas we have rural areas and hills.”
Tracy’s final visit was on behalf of the Psychological Service to Rampton, a high security institution offering intensive programmes for extremely high-risk violent male inmates.
Ready for school on time - thanks to inmates
Parents, teachers and a team of inmates from Tongariro/Rangipo Prison formed a working bee to get the new Tongariro area school ready in time for the new year.
While the school’s students were enjoying the summer break, planning was underway for the grand opening on 2 February to mark the start of term.
Principal, Keith Mackenzie, says the new 530-pupil area school was formed from the amalgamation of four local schools.
The prison work party helped to relocate desks, chairs, whiteboards, tables and other teaching resources says Fred Corfield, the instructor who co-ordinated Corrections Inmate Employment’s involvement in the project.
“First the furniture had to be moved out of the old school building to a temporary location, then to the new school. The inmates cleaned, painted and worked outside too.”
The four low-security inmates involved volunteered to help with the relocation. All the offenders from his forestry work party would have helped had it been possible, Fred adds.
Mr Mackenzie says he thought the inmates “did a lot to repay their debt to the community” through the project.
In his address at the opening celebration, he expressed his appreciation, saying the project could not have been completed on time without the prison’s help.
Team builds alongside new Northland facility
The senior management team for the new Northland Region Corrections Facility (NRCF) is starting to take shape, with the Assistant Site Manager and four of the facility’s six Unit Managers at the “preferred applicant” stage of recruitment.
Construction of the new facility, near Kaikohe, is on schedule for completion in February 2005. The campaign to find the right people to work there is also a huge undertaking, and recruitment kicked off in December 2003.
The majority of the 190 new staff will be corrections officers, but nurses, social workers and inmate employment staff are also required.
The long lead-in time is important says Lesley Elliot, who is co-ordinating the recruitment programme.
“Recruitment is happening in waves. In late 2003 we started looking for the prison’s senior management team, most of whom should be in place next month. From June to October this year we’ll have a big internal drive to find corrections officers at all levels. In late 2004 we will start our external drive for corrections officers and to fill other positions. We expect up to half of the staff to be new, with most having links to the Northland region.”
Finding the right sort of person is critical, says NRCF Site Manager Mike Hughes.
“We are looking for people with a can-do attitude, who look for solutions not problems. We want people who have high standards, understand the power of teamwork, and who can think outside the square,” he says.
“Through the involvement of iwi and the community, NRCF provides an exceptional opportunity to build on the effectiveness of sentence planning and active management,” Mike adds.
Corrections is running a comprehensive recruitment campaign that includes newspaper and internet advertisements and Northlandbased information seminars. There will also be an internal marketing campaign to attract existing Corrections staff to work in Northland.
Corrections continues to work closely with Ngati Rangi Development Society members to help raise awareness of the job opportunities with local Māori.
“Recruitment is going well so far,” says Lesley. “We’ve had an excellent response from Northland and around the country for the first advertised roles.”
Four staff win CE scholarships
The Chief Executive’s Scholarships for 2004 have been awarded to four staff members this year, allowing them to study full-time to complete tertiary qualifications.
The scholarships provide paid leave for recipients in their final year of study in the areas of business management, economics, public policy and criminal justice. Course fees and other selected costs are included.
The recipients include three staff from the Community Probation Service (CPS) and one from the Public Prisons Service.
Ray Morunga, a Corrections Officer at Rimutaka Prison, is studying towards a Bachelor of Matauranga Māori at Te Wananga-O-Raukawa. This involves the study of whanau, iwi and hapu development from a Māori perspective, and is directly relevant to Ray’s work in the prison’s Māori Focus Unit (MFU).
Ray says that even after almost 30 years as a Corrections Officer, he has a passion for his job and a vision to reduce the number of Māori and Pacific inmates. His manager, family, and Orongomai Marae in Upper Hutt encouraged him to apply to study full-time this year.
“I’m enjoying my studies and am committed to using the knowledge to assist Māori and Pacific inmates to raise their self esteem through learning about their language and its tikanga and culture,” says Ray.
Steve McDonald, Administration Officer at Christchurch Service Centre, says he is looking forward to the opportunity to finish his Bachelor of Business Studies in Accountancy through Massey University.
Steve began studying part-time in 1993, with the goal of obtaining a qualification that builds on his experience at Corrections and other government departments.
“Studying full-time is a big change for me,” says Steve. “I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Matire Kupenga-Wanoa, Service Centre Manager in Gisborne, is completing her Masters in Social Work and Social Policy (Applied) from Massey University. Matire says she decided to continue her study to try and address the current high rates of reoffending by Māori. Her thesis is titled “What works for Māori offenders in the Tairawhiti (East Coast)”.
“I’m aiming to provide a Māori perspective, by investigating the key factors that make Māori offenders decide to stop reoffending,” says Matire. “My goal is to help reduce re-offending by identifying strategies that work, and I’m excited about the chance to focus on my thesis this year.”
Bronwyn Kingdom, Human Resources Manager, CPS, is using the scholarship to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Victoria University.
The Chief Executive’s scholarship is aimed at full-time, permanent employees to pursue final year study. It is designed for scholars doing undergraduate, Honours, Masters or Doctorate degrees that will contribute to both their careers and the Department’s strategic goals.
A unique event at a unique prison
Tongariro/Rangipo Prison was the venue for the first Corrections-wide open day last month, with guests shown how the Department’s Groups and Services work together to reduce re-offending.
This unique event was held at a unique venue. Tongariro/Rangipo Prison comprises two sites more than 22 km apart within 2,300 hectares of farmland and more than 4,300 hectares of forest, just north of Turangi. A cattle, sheep and deer farm, logging operation, timber mill and dog food processing plant also form part of the huge prison site, which is surrounded by Tongariro National Park.
Site Manager Jack Harrison says the day featured not only the work of the Public Prisons Service, but also Corrections Inmate Employment (CIE), the Community Probation Service (CPS) and Psychological Service.
“The theme throughout the day was how the different parts of the organisation work towards Corrections’ strategic goal of building safer communities through reducing reoffending,” says Jack.
Guests included the prison’s kaumatua, local media, Turangi Police, representatives from Taupo District Court and the Department of Conservation, several Justices of the Peace and other members of the community.
They were given an overview of security, inspected some cells and watched a drug dog and handler go through their paces in a simulated drugs search. Corrections Officer Adelice Martin talked about the role of corrections staff and Mandatory Collections Officers demonstrated aspects of drugs testing.
CIE staff gave the visitors a tour of the prison’s mill operation, which employs around 25 inmates and processes logs from the prison’s forest. The focus is on providing inmates with training and skills that will help them to obtain employment upon release.
Finally, CPS Service Manager Alex Holmes and Probation Officer Neville Blake gave a presentation about Home Detention.
Visitors were particularly interested in how the monitoring system works. “We have a job to do for the community and the people who came along left with a better understanding of how we do our work,” says Jack.
The joint open day was a Regional Operating Group (ROG) initiative. The group includes representatives from all Groups and Services within the Department, and one of its main tasks is to work with stakeholders.
Sentence planner slips into civvies to help out
When the Community Probation Service (CPS) in Turangi/Taupo needed a helping hand with home detention applications recently, Corrections Officer Deidre McLean was quick to swap uniform for civvies for six weeks to help ease the workload.
“I was excited by the challenge and chance to extend my experience, while at the same time assisting CPS,” says Deidre, whose role as a sentence planner made her the ideal person to fill the gap.
“The CPS team welcomed me with open arms and made me feel like one of them. The hardest thing was getting used to going to work in civilian clothing - I could never decide what to wear in the mornings!”
Public Prisons Service sentence planners work with inmates to formulate a plan to address the inmates’ offending. This might include participation in programmes, assessment and goal setting. When an inmate nears release, a pre-release report is written to assess the offender’s progress. This report is used by CPS to further address the offender’s needs once in the community.
Dave Pomeroy, Unit Manager Tongariro/Rangipo Sentence Planners, says the secondment was an ideal opportunity to further enhance the relationship between the sentence planners and their CPS counterparts.
As well as working on preparing and finalising home detention applications for the New Zealand Parole Board, Deidre accompanied probation officers when assessing the suitability of applicants’ addresses, and on home visits to offenders.
“The secondment gave me an opportunity to see CPS from the inside, and I have a better understanding of their work and environment. Now I am back in PPS I have passed on the experience to other members of the sentence planning team and we are able to provide more relevant information to them,” says Deidre.
Alex Holmes, CPS Service Manager, agrees, saying that he would support staff participating in a secondment again.
“We’ve all benefited from the shared knowledge.”
Senior researcher obtains doctorate
The road to becoming a Doctor of Philosophy has been a long one for psychologist Nick Wilson.
The Hamilton-based senior research adviser for the Psychological Service has been working towards his doctorate for around half of the seven years he has worked for Corrections.
His doctoral thesis centres around the use of the Psychopathy Check List: Screening Version (PCL:SV) in predicting serious violent recidivism. Developed in the early 1990s in Canada, and used in New Zealand since 1996, the PCL: SV is an instrument designed to screen for psychopathy that has also been used for measuring the likelihood of recidivism by offenders.
For his thesis, Nick studied 199 former inmates who had served sentences of seven years or more for violent or sexual crimes, and had subsequently been living in the community for five years or more. A number who had not been reimprisoned also agreed to be interviewed by him.
“The outcome showed the PCL:SV to be as accurate in predicting serious violent reoffending as the best results of other similar studies internationally,” says Nick. “This validation supports the continued use of the PCL:SV by Corrections’ psychologists assessing offenders’ risk of further offending.
“In addition, insights into the beliefs and lifestyles of this parole group were gained that will assist in the development of effective reintegration initiatives and parole decisionmaking processes.”
Nick will receive his Doctorate at a ceremony at Waikato University next month. A hardbound copy of his thesis is available for staff reference via the Department’s Information Centre in Wellington.
1 Bonta J, Bogue B., Crowley M., Motiuk L., (2001), Implementing Offender Classification Systems: Lessons Learned. In Bernfeld G., Farrington D., and Leschied A., (eds) Offender Rehabilitation in Practice: Implementing and Evaluating Effective Programs, Chichester, John Wiley.