Human Rights and Prisons - Rethinking Crime and Punishment
Human Rights and Prisons - Rethinking Crime and Punishment
Human Rights and Prisons - Rethinking Crime and Punishment
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Kaumatua have official st<strong>and</strong>ing as institutional visitors, <strong>and</strong> can readily<br />
access prisoners.<br />
Māori Focus Units that incorporate Māori cultural values in daily<br />
routines <strong>and</strong> programmes. There are five 60-bed Māori Focus Units at<br />
Hawke‟s Bay, Waikeria, Tongariro/Rangipo, Rimutaka <strong>and</strong> Wanganui<br />
which offer, among other things, Māori Therapeutic Programmes „to<br />
change offending-related attitudes <strong>and</strong> behaviours‟ (ibid:28). A recent<br />
report from the Department of Corrections (2009b) concluded that<br />
Māori in Focus Units strengthened their cultural knowledge <strong>and</strong><br />
enhanced their cultural identity. Prisoners displayed positive change in<br />
terms of offending attitudes <strong>and</strong> beliefs. Relatively small positive<br />
changes were found in terms of prisoner reconvictions <strong>and</strong> reimprisonments<br />
<strong>and</strong> the Units are described as having „yet to operate to<br />
their full potential‟ (ibid:4).<br />
A Māori Services Team has been established to support services for<br />
the rehabilitation <strong>and</strong> reintegration of Māori offenders, including<br />
effective linking to tribal <strong>and</strong> sub-tribal groups. The team comprises<br />
three Regional Relationship Managers <strong>and</strong> ten Area Advisers.<br />
Specialist Māori Cultural Assessment tools that identify the cultural<br />
needs <strong>and</strong> strengths of Māori offenders to effectively match prisoners<br />
to appropriate Māori interventions.<br />
A Bicultural Therapy Model that provides options for Māori offenders to<br />
undertake psychological treatment using western psychological<br />
services, tikanga Māori based treatment, or a combination of both.<br />
Service providers are endorsed through the participation of hapū <strong>and</strong><br />
iwi representatives who participate at regional committee levels.<br />
Whānau Liaison Workers to establish links between prisoners, their<br />
whānau, hapū, iwi, <strong>and</strong> the local Māori community prior to release.<br />
Whānau Liaison Workers are based in the Māori Focus Units <strong>and</strong> at<br />
the Northl<strong>and</strong> Region Corrections Facility.<br />
In 2009, Associate Corrections Minister, <strong>and</strong> Māori Party co-leader, Pita<br />
Sharples sought to advance the Māori Focus Unit idea, by arguing for<br />
alternative rehabilitation centres for Māori prisoners „who are determined to<br />
learn, heal <strong>and</strong> socialise‟ (Gower, 2009b). In 2010, funding was announced<br />
for two kaupapa Māori reintegration units, Whare Oranga Ake, to be<br />
established. These Units (to be constructed at Hawkes Bay <strong>and</strong> Spring Hill<br />
prisons) will place emphasis on reintegration services for Māori prisoners, not<br />
only by providing skills for living on the outside but also by taking prisoners<br />
into the community to assist them in establishing connections that will support<br />
them on release.<br />
Following the apparent success of culturally specific interventions for Māori,<br />
there have also been similar advances made in relation to Pacific People:<br />
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