Tena ra koutou katoa
Naku highlights once again the positive impact our Måori community partners can have on offenders. It is particularly encouraging to see the feedback from providers of Tikanga Måori Programmes.
The Community Probation Service now has 26 providers of these motivational programmes for offenders on community-based sentences and orders around the country.
Between July 2004 and September 2006, there were 926 new starts on tikanga programmes. Most programmes are held on marae and take about 75 hours to deliver.
An effective tikanga programme can raise an offender’s understanding of cultural values and beliefs, boost their motivation to address offending, and promote a desire to become a positive role model for their children and family.
The Department recently launched its first comprehensive review of these programmes, gathering valuable information about how they’re working.
Our next move is to focus on a sample of programmes and their participants, and to examine what changes occur in offenders as a result of the programmes, and how this happens.
The more we know about the programmes and what works, the better we’ll be placed to manage and enhance future programmes; the ultimate aim being to make our communities safer and reduce re-offending.
Katrina Casey
General Manager
Probation and Offender Services