What are your initial impressions of Corrections?
I’ve been really impressed. People seem open and proud of their work. There’s a strong sense of commitment and focus. There’s positive momentum, with lots of good projects on the go.
Why did you apply for the job?
I believe this is a job worth doing because we help to keep New Zealanders safe every day.
When I look at my history, Corrections sits at the end of a pathway I’ve been working on most of my life. Seventy percent of long term prisoners have come to us with a Child, Youth and Family history. Many offenders are on a benefit, and have had contact with Work and Income.
What are your priorities for Corrections?
First, we must continue to improve public safety and hold offenders to account.
Second, we want offenders to leave Corrections better than when they arrived. I know some people won’t change, but I believe they’re in the minority.
In terms of rehabilitation, I think we should be focusing on education and employment. I think having a job can be one of the single largest transformative factors in a person’s life. We also need an emphasis on health – helping offenders beat addictions, for example.
What do you think are the biggest challenges Corrections faces?
Rehabilitation is one of the biggest challenges, especially in supporting offenders to sustain the positive changes they make.
We’re in a strong position with our dedicated Rehabilitation and Reintegration Services. We can’t solve all the problems on our own, but I know we’ll be taking a lead in working with other agencies to create more joined-up solutions.
Your contract is for five years; what will success look like in 2016?
We’ll have reduced re-offending rates, we’ll have harnessed frontline people’s good ideas and we’ll be held in high regard by staff, stakeholders and the public. We’ll have created solutions we haven’t thought of yet. We’ll have helped the general public to understand why we do the things we do.
| Ray Smith > brief biography |
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Ray became Deputy Chief Executive for Work and Income in 2001, and then Deputy Chief Executive for Child, Youth and Family at the Ministry of Social Development in 2006. |
| Christine Stevenson > new Deputy Chief Executive |
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Christine and Ray have worked together previously at the Ministry of Social Development. |
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Ray joined the Department of Social Welfare as a frontline staff member in Auckland when he left school in 1983. He worked there in several roles, both frontline and management, before moving to Wellington as National Service Delivery Manager in 1995.
Corrections also welcomes Christine Stevenson as our new Deputy Chief Executive. Christine comes to us from her role as Acting Deputy Chief Executive of the Ministry of Justice, bringing considerable knowledge of the wider sector.