Asian Corrections Officers Breaking Down Barriers In New Zealand Prisons

Sunday, 21 July 2024, 5:04 pm
Article: RNZ

Blessen Tom, journalist

New Zealand's Asian communities are increasingly embracing roles in Corrections, breaking down cultural barriers and boosting their presence in the sector.

Asian staff now make up the second-largest group of frontline officers in the country's penal facilities, according to the Department of Corrections.

Seven hundred and twenty-eight Asian officers currently work in prisons as corrections officers, senior corrections officers and principal corrections officers.

Additionally, the Department of Corrections consists of 1453 employees with an Asian heritage overall, making it the third-largest ethnicity after European and Māori.

Two hundred and fourteen prisoners of Asian descent were detained in New Zealand prisons as of 30 June.

Archna Tandon, 56, has been a Corrections officer for six years.

"I was working with the University of Canterbury for about 20 years before joining the force," says Tandon, a senior Corrections officer at Rolleston Prison.

When Tandon joined Corrections, it was a path seldom taken by members of the Indian community, especially Indian women.

However, her family was very supportive of her decision.

"I think the biggest challenge was changing the perception and stereotype of being an Indian woman," she says. "Being Indian, wearing the uniform and gaining acceptance in this job was hard to overcome."

Originally from Delhi, Tandon moved to the South Island town of Lincoln in 1990.

"We're still in Lincoln," she says. "When I wanted to change my job, I wanted something local and something that challenged me."

Tandon says there are more Asian officers in New Zealand prisons now than when she joined.

"I think diversity is great and we want more of us in Corrections as New Zealand changes and the population grows," she says.

Tandon says working in a prison is challenging but rewarding.

She says the job gives her an opportunity to contribute to a safer and supportive community.

"It's really amazing to see that people can change and we can be a part of that process and when you see them on the outside, it's a great feeling," Tandon says.

But Correction officers also need to be prepared to face unexpected incidents, she says.

Tandon says things have occasionally gone awry at work over the past six years, but regular training on how to respond in such situations helped her to handle the stress.

Hao (Alex) Zhang, a principal corrections officer at Auckland's Paremoremo Prison, agrees.

Zhang, 38, has been working for Corrections since 2013.

"I came to New Zealand when I was 12 years old when my parents moved here from China," he says.

Initially interested in joining the police, he ended up at Corrections.

"The work environment is good," Zhang says. "There are so many opportunities here."

Zhang was initially uncomfortable working with prisoners, but says the job became easier once he learned more about them.

While there were few officers with an Asian heritage when he started, New Zealand prisons now include many officers from diverse backgrounds.

"I don't think job opportunities at places like Corrections are very familiar in the community," Zhang says.

Leigh Marsh, custodial services commissioner at Corrections, says two hiring campaigns in 2022 and 2024 have strengthened the department's recruitment processes.

"We received more than 33,500 applications for frontline custodial roles between 1 October 2022 and 29 April 2024," Marsh says.

He says more than 1450 people have been recruited into Corrections roles, with many more in the pipeline.

Zhang believes it is important for him to support prisoners and help them make the right decisions.

"You get some abuse at the beginning, but once you get to know them and they get to know you, you realize that they're just people and need my help," Zhang says.

He says working in a prison can be tough, with the tense atmosphere affecting officers' mental health and well-being.

"When we come in, we face a lot of violence, a lot of abuse, but this is what we signed up for, and our job is to keep them safe," he says.

Zhang says the department puts a lot of focus on the welfare of officers.

Several support groups for Asian staff have been established at Corrections facilities nationwide, including the Asian Employees Network and the Pan Indian Network.

Additionally, the department has set up an Inclusion and Diversity Council, a national body that leads and supports efforts to celebrate diversity and provide a safe, positive work environment.

"We also have senior advisers ... who support team members and leaders with their inclusive practices and behaviour," Marsh says.

"These advisers work with our staff well-being co-ordinators to host well-being days on sites and promote initiatives and our employee-led networks to team members in our prisons."

While working in a prison is challenging, Zhang says it's not as bad as many people think.

Zhang believes there is a lot of stigma around Corrections that needs to change.

"There is violence here because it is a prison but, at the end of the day, our job is to support the prisoners and help rehabilitate them back into society," Zhang says.

He says he is unaware of any extra scrutiny on his work due to his Chinese descent.

This comes after a Stuff investigation that revealed that a Chinese probation officer was sacked for opening files of Chinese offenders.

"I don't see much scrutiny inside the department because, if there was, I'd never have climbed the ranks to become a PCO (principal Corrections officer)," Zhang says. "If they have given me that role, that means [the Department of Corrections] must trust me a lot."

On 10 July, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he expected intelligence agencies to investigate concerns around the probation officer who was dismissed.

"What I find most rewarding about my job as a Corrections officer is making a positive impact and seeing progress in the lives of people in prison," he says. "Witnessing the transformation of prisoners is incredibly fulfilling.

Like Zhang, Tandon also thinks her job is fulfilling.

"I often get people calling my name aloud in the mall and see people from the prison out in the world changed," she says. "Seeing them transformed is the best thing about my job."

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