Victim Support provides 24-hour emotional support, personal advocacy and information to all people affected by crime and trauma throughout New Zealand.
To help new recruits at Victim Support understand Corrections, Waitakere Service Centre Manager Murray Frew and Probation Officer Laura O’Hare recently gave them a presentation about the work of the Community Probation Service (CPS).
“Many people don’t have a good understanding of what we do and the new Victim Support recruits were very interested. They were sitting on the edges of their seats,” Murray says.
“Knowing about other services is always useful,” says Waitakere Victim Support Service Coordinator Eileen Wishnoski.
“I spend a lot of time at the Family Courts with the victims of domestic violence. They’re often concerned about what will happen to their partner. They don’t know anything about the probation or prison system and they get confused and frightened about what’s happening. It’s good that we know what’s happening and can explain.”
The presentation was part of the Service Centre’s drive to build links with external agencies and increase general understanding of CPS.
Murray says its theme was our place, our history, our people and our business. He and Laura presented statistics and outlined Corrections strategies to reduce re-offending.
They told the recruits about sentence management and discussed the communitybased sentences and orders.
“Probation officers can motivate offenders to turn their lives around. They can be a real inspiration,” Murray says.
“We have new recruits constantly,” says Eileen. “So I hope Murray and Laura will be back.”
A talk has also been given to the Community Alcohol and Drug Service and plans are afoot to do the same at other government agencies and community organisations.
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ISSN 1178-8453