We've come a long way...

Creating Lasting Change is a four year plan that was launched in 2011.

Two years on, the results speak for themselves – we’re Government Department of the Year and, for the first time in our recorded prison history, there have been no escapes from prison. We’ve reduced re-offending by 10.6% and developed more interventions across all our services to make sure this continues to increase. Impressive results like these don’t happen overnight. They’re the culmination of a major transformation in the way we work. For the first time since the Department was created in 1995 the organisation is working as one team. Probation, prison, offender employment and rehabilitation staff all work together with a shared vision and goal.

Our four regions have a greater say in how they operate and are tasked with finding local solutions to achieve the organisation’s reducing re-offending target. Encouraging progress is being made, but there is more to be done, especially around engaging with iwi and the community to support offenders who are Maori and young offenders under 25.

While operating in a time of tight fiscal restraint, we’ve been able to introduce a number of challenging changes to the way we work. These changes have required a new way of thinking and operating from both staff and our partners. But our people have adapted well and embraced the changes necessary for us to achieve our goal and reduce re-offending.

The last two years have seen huge inroads into ensuring offenders receive the help they need. Whether that’s assessing their mental health needs, providing treatment for drug or alcohol addiction, improving literacy levels, gaining skills that match the job market or participating in rehabilitation programmes, so much has already been done to give people a chance at a better life.

We’re already achieving a reduction in re-offending, and are well on our way to creating lasting change.

What we've achieved so far...

• $65 million reinvested in rehabilitation and reintegration
• Tactical exit training for frontline staff
• Audio-visual links in 4 prisons, 4 Courts and 50 probation service centres, with 'virtual visit' trials operating between Whanganui Prison and New Plymouth Probation Service Centre
• New Zealand's first ever public private partnership – new prison being built at Wiri
• Public Sector Excellence Award for Smokefree Prisons
• 2012 Awards for probation change programme at IPCA Conference in Mexico
• Trans Tasman's Government Department of the Year 2013
• 727 prisoners achieved NCEA credits in 2012
• Over 65,000 hours of offender labour directly assisted the rebuild of Canterbury
• Increased access to drug and alcohol, life skills and domestic violence programmes
• Unifying our Effort – change programme seen as model of best practice across public sector
• Opened New Zealand's first High Dependency Unit for prisoners with serious health needs
• No escapes from prison
• 127 prisoners taking part in Release to Work
• Right Track implemented across prison network
• $87 million of savings from the Expenditure Review to go into the Justice Sector Fund
• We've reduced re-offending by 10.6% (July 2013) = 1, 947 fewer offenders returning to Corrections
• Visible Leadership Progamme delivered to 850 managers every three months
• Working with Housing New Zealand to refurbish 150 houses
• Regional Initiative Fund supported 27 initiatives in 2012/13 at a cost of $1.2 million
• 2013 IPANZ Award for Working Together for Better Public Services as a partner in the Joined-up Justice project.