A new approach for rehabilitation and reintegration

In our last issue, we looked at what work is being undertaken as part of The Way Forward performance improvement programme.
This issue, we’re taking a closer look at the changes underway in the provision of rehabilitation and reintegration.

Significant progress has been made on how Corrections is to deliver rehabilitation and reintegration services, since changes to the Department’s structure were announced in September 2009.
 
As part of the Value for Money Review and consultation process, Chief Executive Barry Matthews announced that Corrections’ rehabilitation and reintegration services would be integrated into a single service delivery arm.

A working group to look at the provision of rehabilitation and reintegration was established in October last year, comprising members from Corrections, Te Puni Kōkiri, Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Social Development.

The working group completed a series of workshops over October and November, and examined a range of issues including current barriers to the successful application of integrated offender management, and identification of an appropriate offender management model.

The working group developed recommendations regarding the principles and approach to service delivery. These recommendations included suggestions on how to incorporate seamless sentence management and improve effectiveness and services for Māori.
They gave the Corrections Executive Management Team a report which included identification of the work that needs to be done to implement the recommended changes.

Work is now underway on the detailed organisational design work for the Rehabilitation and Reintegration Services team, and with new General Manager Alison Thom on board, it is progressing well.

The functions of this new group include:

• sentence planning and management
• rehabilitation assessment
• development of pre-release sentence plans including reintegration needs
• development, design and delivery of rehabilitative programmes to prisoners and offenders in the community
• provision of psychological services and specialist treatment programmes to prisoners
• delivery of prisoner employment and education activities, including Corrections Inmate Employment.

Any questions about The Way Forward can be sent to thewayforward@corrections.govt.nz.