Rolleston Prison's Kia Marama Special Treatment Unit (STU) recently opened its doors to raise awareness about its rehabilitation work with child sex offenders.
"Invited guests met with prison officers, psychologists and prisoners to discuss the unit's 'Community of Change' rehabilitation programme and the prisoners' experiences - in particular how the programme had affected all aspects of their lives," says Kia Marama Principal Psychologist Bronwyn Rutherford.
"One prisoner discussed letters he'd received from his victim’s family, and the huge impact they had on his rehabilitation progress."
The guests learnt that the facility is principally designed for offenders nearing the end of their prison sentences and that a significant part of the rehabilitation programme focuses on prisoner reintegration.
"We explained how the programme helps offenders identify and understand the factors that led to their previous offending and that it teaches them how to manage and control these factors in their daily lives," says Bronwyn.
Kia Marama continues to produce some of the lowest re-offending figures in the world with research showing that only four per cent of prisoners who completed the programme between 1994 and 2001 went on to re-offend.
The guests were shown how groups of 10 prisoners meet three times a week for three hours over a 33-week period. And how psychologists monitor prisoners and each other through mirrored glass screens during the three-hour therapy sessions.
This allows psychologists to assess the behavioural progress of prisoners during these sessions, while also monitoring their own psychology practice.
STU prisoners can apply for a range work experience opportunities to help encourage them to make positive lifestyle changes. The open day guests toured the unit's gardening, tailoring, cooking and bee keeping areas. Most vegetables grown in the gardens are donated to the Christchurch City Mission.
Kia Marama ('Let there be light') is a 60-bed standalone facility. More than 850 prisoners have completed treatment in the facility since 1989.
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ISSN 1178-8453