3 April 2007
The company contracted to deliver drug and alcohol treatment programmes to Hawkes Bay Prison’s new Drug Treatment Unit (DTU), has moved on site.
Care NZ took "ownership" yesterday giving itself, and Corrections custodial staff assigned to the DTU, time to prepare for the unit’s official opening in mid-May.
Up to 60 prisoners will be treated at any one time, with 100 prisoners expected to graduate each year.
Care NZ has already established successful DTU programmes at Arohata Women’s, Waikeria Men’s and Christchurch Men’s Prisons.
Corrections Minister Damien O’Connor paid tribute to the organisation saying it had proven highly effective at delivering efficient and effective programmes within the confines of the prison environment.
"Treatment of addictions is an important part of the rehabilitation process," Mr O'Connor said. "Up to 60 percent of offenders in New Zealand prisons are affected by drugs or alcohol at the time of their conviction and 83 percent of prisoners have experienced addiction issues at some point of their lives."
"Research has shown that reconviction rates for those who have been through a Drug Treatment Unit are 13 percent lower over a 24-month period than for 'untreated' offenders."
"Most prisoners will return to their communities at some point so prisons have a duty to reduce reoffending by addressing the individual rehabilitation and re-integration needs of offenders."
Drug Treatment Units are a pivotal part of the Government’s Effective Interventions programme aimed at reducing crime, re-offending and re-imprisonment rates.
Launched in August 2006, Effective Interventions is a justice sector-wide programme involving Corrections, the Ministry of Justice, the New Zealand Police and the Ministry of Social Development.
As well as new drug treatment units, the programme includes an extensive prisoner employment strategy, new high-intensity special treatment prison units, a stand-alone Home Detention sentence as part of a tiered system of community-based sentences.
The Hawkes Bay DTU is one of three new ones being opened by Corrections over the next two years - the others at Rimutaka Prison 1 July 2007 and Spring Hill Corrections Facility on 1 July 2008.
The Hawkes Bay DTU is the first one for the Prison Service Midland Region which includes Wanganui, Manawatu, Taranaki and Hawkes Bay.