Three new drug treatment units to open

Reducing re-offending by helping prisoners overcome drug and alcohol problems.

“For me, offending and drinking worked hand-in-hand. My judgement was clouded and I didn’t think of the consequences.

“I’ve learned a lot of positive things here that’ll help me stay clean when I get out. I can’t ever have a drink because of what it’ll lead to; I don’t want to end up in jail again.”

These words from a prisoner who has almost finished the programme at the Rimutaka Prison Drug Treatment Unit make the value of the work real.

This year the Government has given Corrections funding to double the number of prisoners receiving drug and alcohol treatment from 500 to 1,000 a year.

To achieve this we will be opening three new Drug Treatment Units in Otago, Wanganui and Northland, and introducing condensed three-month treatment programmes so that the large numbers of prisoners serving shorter sentences can attend (the standard programme length is six months).

Care NZ Clinical Manager Kevin Pearce, who runs the treatment programme at Rimutaka Drug Treatment Unit, believes the condensed programmes will be effective.

“They’ll be able to treat younger prisoners serving their first (usually shorter) sentences. I hope they’ll help them before they go on to a lifetime of addiction and crime,” he says.

Rimutaka Prison Drug Treatment Unit Manager Bruce Eade says the changes he sees in many of the prisoners who come through his unit are remarkable.

“When they come they’re often sullen, surly and self-centred. They become more respectful, more open and aware of what they’ve done. I’m optimistic about the new Drug Treatment Units – Corrections will be able to offer more people a chance at changing their lives,” he says.

The Department’s recently released Drug and Alcohol Strategy 2009 – 2014 can be viewed online.