8th October 2009
PRESS RELEASE – IMMEDIATE

Prison Fellowship commends Corrections Minister’s statement on recidivism

Corrections Minister Judith Collin’s statement this week on prisoner employment is highly commendable, says Robin Gunston, National Director of Prison Fellowship New Zealand.

“We like the fact that the Minister, perhaps for the first time since taking up the reins of this difficult portfolio, has acknowledged both our high imprisonment rate and our appalling statistics on recidivism” he said, “We concur with her that the social and economic costs to the country are immense and this fact alone needs to drive New Zealand to looking at alternative ways of not only sentencing people for their crimes, but also how we train and equip them whilst within prison and as they re-enter society for a new more purposeful life.”

“Prison Fellowship, in conjunction with NZ Prisoners Aid and Rehabilitation Society, are committed to work with Government agencies to help ensure prisoners, once released, stay out, however to do that we need the recognition by Government that this is the work that the 3rd sector does best, according to international research, and that it needs properly funding to evolve its capacity and capability to deal with the growing number of people needing our services”, said Mr Gunston.

“Prison Fellowship’s National Conference from 6th to 10th October 2010, in Wellington, which will be organised in collaboration with other 3rd sector justice system providers, will focus on viable alternative frameworks for sentencing, prison programmes, prisoner re-entry and their societal reintegration. This will be an opportunity for the whole of New Zealand to have a robust discussion about our criminal justice system with politicians and other interest groups. As a society we have no choice going forward but to find ways to drastically reduce our prison population in the short to medium term, and we need new ways of dealing with recidivist offenders.”

ENDS

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