23 September
Members of the community interested in hearing the latest from Northland Region Corrections Facility (NRCF) or who wish to share their ideas on rehabilitating offenders in order to reduce reoffending are invited to a community meeting day at Ngawha Marae on Friday.
NRCF Prison Manager Jon Howe says he has organised the day to help people in the area better understand the role that the prison plays in the community, and to de-mystify what goes on behind the wire.
“A lot of what people know about prison is what they have seen in movies or on Prison Break. The reality is nothing like that. The reality is that the prison is safely and securely housing prisoners and providing them with opportunities to address their offending behaviour.”
Mr Howe says that the prison cannot turn prisoners’ lives around alone, and needs the community to work in partnership to make real changes. He wants to start by being open with locals about what happens in the prison.
“We’ll have a residential Unit Manager there to talk about the site today, Corrections Inmate Employment Staff will speak on the importance of preparing prisoners for sustainable jobs when they are released and our gracious hosts for the day, Ngati Rangi, will speak in their capacity as Kaitiaki for the site and their aims for their future relationship with the prison.”
“These men stand a better chance of coming out of prison and never going back if they have some support in place. Going it alone and being cast out from their community for their offending can lead them back to criminal associates or a criminal lifestyle to support themselves, which creates more crime, and more victims, in the community. We want to find the best ways of preventing this from happening.”
NOTE TO EDITORS:
All sectors of the Ngawha community are welcome to join NRCF Prison Manager Jonathan Howe, Prison Services and Community Probation & Psychological staff and representatives of Ngati Rangi at Ngawha Marae, Main Road Ngawhatu Kaikohe, on Friday 25 September, from 9.00am to 3.00pm.
For further information contact the Communications Services Desk:
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