New providers of reintegrative services for Corrections

The Department of Corrections has selected three providers to deliver reintegrative support services to offenders for the next three years, following an open tender process.

“Auckland Prisoners Aid and Rehabilitation Society (Auckland PARS), Waikato Prisoners Aid and Rehabilitation Society (Waikato PARS) and the Prisoners’ Aid & Rehabilitation Trust will be delivering reintegrative services for prisoners and their families, and offenders on community sentences in the Northern Region, the Central Region and the Southern Region respectively,” says Assistant General Manager Reintegration and Rehabilitation Services, Dr David Wales.

“Contract terms will run from 1 December 2010 until 30 June 2013 and contain provision for renewal for an additional one or two years. The Department has annual funding of $2.48 million for these services.”

Corrections’ three-year contract with the national body of NZPARS ceased on 31 March 2010. A contingency plan was developed to enable Corrections to continue to contract individual PARS societies to allow for the provision of reintegrative services until a tender process for the delivery of these services throughout New Zealand could be completed.

“These three providers have extensive experience in the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders and we are looking forward to working with them to deliver responsive and well targeted reintegrative support services.

“Our priority has been to ensure that these important reintegrative services continue to be provided at the same level as previously provided. They are vital in helping the Department in its goals of reducing reoffending and ultimately improving public safety,” said Dr Wales.

ENDS

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