Te Runanga o Ngati Porou has worked hard this past year to coordinate and facilitate a number of restorative justice meetings between offenders and their victims.
Although restorative justice initiatives are led by the Ministry of Justice, probation officers often liaise with restorative justice facilitators and support offenders who may be nervous about facing their victims.
Te Runanga o Ngati Porou restorative justice coordinator Robyn Smith has put together many such meetings.
In the year since the service started, a total of 26 referrals have been received and 13 meetings have been held.
Offenders appearing on charges of careless driving causing death, sexual offences, tagging, burglary, and family violence have been amongst the referrals.
After a conviction, an offender may be referred to a restorative justice provider by the courts. Offenders are supported and encouraged by their probation officer to prepare for and attend the conference - and meet with their victim in a safe and supportive setting.
The meeting is a platform for the offender to face the effect of their offending, take responsibility for it, and apologise. For some offenders, it is the first time they have seen the consequences of their crime and the impact on their victim physically, mentally and emotionally.
For a victim, knowing an offender is sorry and confronting that person can provide them with strength to move past the ordeal in their life. They may regain a sense of security and well-being and find themselves willing to forgive and to trust again.
Following the meeting, the facilitator sends a report to the offender's probation officer. The report is included in the pre-sentence report that provides the court with information about an individual offender's background and circumstances to help in deciding an appropriate sentence.
If the offender is to serve a sentence in the community, such as supervision, community work or home detention, the probation officer can also use the feedback from the restorative justice meeting in working with the offender throughout their sentence, and in the development of their sentence plan.
Although the restorative justice concept is not unique to Māori, it has a strong alignment with tikanga practices such as reconciliation, reciprocity and whānau involvement. These concepts are key to how Te Runanga o Ngati Porou work.
Other Te Runanga o Ngati Porou Whanau Oranga services work alongside the restorative justice service, benefiting offenders and whānau alike by providing on-going support through counselling, budgeting, social work, housing, and parenting education services.
Looking ahead, Te Runanga o Ngati Porou welcome building the relationship they have with Community Probation & Psychological Services (CPPS) further.
Prison Fellowship New Zealand (PFNZ) runs a project called Sycamore Tree, funded by Corrections, which brings a panel of prisoners and victims face to face over eight two-hour sessions.
A number of themes come out of the sessions including responsibility, confession, repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation and restitution. Participation in the programme is voluntary for both prisoners and victims.
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Email commdesk@corrections.govt.nz or phone (04) 460 3365