Maori issues are major focus of prison reform hui

Overseas prison experts, Justice and Correctional management, policy analysts from Government Departments and a considerable number of NGOs working in the criminal justice sector gathered at the “Breaking down the barriers to get prison numbers down” Hui at Silverstream ,Wellington. The hui hosted by 5 Prison related NGOs, have started to get to grips with some of the key issues affecting the high number of Maori in the prison system.

There has been a strong call from the hui to deal with the core “drivers of crime” issues such as welfare, social policy, housing and employment .

“Corrections, Justice and Te Puni Kokiri need to work far better together for Maori “,said Jane Shaw from Porirua, who has started her own Trust recently to concentrate on helping people whose mental health has deteriorated whilst in prison.

“Maori also need to be better represented in the senior ranks of the differing parts of the Criminal Justice sector” said Mr Desmond Ripi a kaumatua who works within the system himself.

“Innovation is something the private prison sector is very good at” said Professor Alison Liebling from the Prison Research Centre at Cambridge University, UK “ so there may be opportunities to experiment with something particular for Maori when you have private prison operators here”. She also noted that her work had showed that there were very good examples of operation of prisons from both public and private operators in England and Wales.

“Unique Maori solutions such as ‘Paekiri’, a reintegration initiative based on Maori and Christian principles, are what will make a difference to ensuring Maori people saty out of prison,” said Win Geddes from Auckland, one of the co-founders of this scheme.

The Conference will endeavour to produce a mandate by this afternoon that seeks a common approach from both the Government and our communities to work together to get the prison numbers down, especially for Maori.

ENDS

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