To raise awareness of an often hidden problem, The Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand (PGFNZ) is running education programmes for prisoners and Corrections staff in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
“People often hide gambling problems because they’re ashamed,” says PGFNZ Programme Co-ordinator Tony Lindquist.
Tony and his colleague, PGFNZ Facilitator Dianetha Devkurran, have seen 146 prisoners in Auckland since they first started running the programmes just over a year ago.
If any prisoners need more help with a gambling problem, they are offered one-on-one counselling.
Auckland Central Remand Prison Programme Manager Kathryn Prime is very supportive of the work the Foundation is doing in Auckland prisons.
“When prisoners start the awareness programme they usually see it through to the end,” she says.
Dianetha says that working in a prison setting brings its own special challenges, such as fitting in with prison routines.
“But it’s great that Corrections staff are supportive and we’re confident that the facilities in the new prisons will mean a better environment for delivering programmes such as ours,” she says.
Tony Lindquist and Dianetha Devkurran of the
Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand.
Problem gambling is defined as a health addiction so its treatment is funded by the Ministry of Health from a levy on gambling operators.
Future Corrections collaboration with the Ministry of Health will see gambling screening assessments progressively introduced as part of a prisoner’s sentence planning assessment. More formal mechanisms for referring prisoners to problem gambling treatment services are also planned.
For more information visit the problem gambling foundation website (external link)
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ISSN 1178-8453