Prisoner health receives significant boost in Hawkes Bay
Wednesday 30 May 2007, 12:36PM
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Two new prisoner health facilities at Hawkes Bay Prison, including a new drug and alcohol treatment unit, have been officially opened by Minister of Corrections Damien O'Connor.
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Two new prisoner health facilities at Hawkes Bay Prison, including a new drug and alcohol treatment unit, were officially opened by Minister of Corrections Damien O'Connor today.
As well as the new drug and alcohol treatment unit, which offers an intensive, six-month course of treatment for prisoners, a new general-purpose health unit was opened.
"Addressing prisoners' health needs is a pivotal part of the Government's Effective Interventions programme, which is aimed at reducing re-offending and bringing down re-imprisonment rates," Mr O'Connor said.
"For prisoners in Hawkes Bay these units will quite literally be the first step back on the road to recovery - the road to their and the community's improved well-being."
The strong Government focus on rehabilitation is seeing significant improvements in prison health facilities across the country, Mr O'Connor said. Late last year a new health centre opened in Wanganui Prison, an A&D unit opened in Christchurch Prison, and two further A&D units are to open in the next year.
By the middle of next year the number of D&A treatment places open to prisoners will be more than 500 a year, Mr O'Connor said.
"When you consider that 60 percent of offenders are affected by alcohol or drugs at the time of their conviction, the need for facilities such as this is evident.
"Research shows that offenders who have been through a treatment unit are 13 per cent less likely to be re-imprisoned after 24 months than if they had not attended treatment."
While in the DTU prisoners must:
· adhere to a signed contract - including a stipulation to be drug and alcohol free,
· complete the required number of programme hours,
· agree to attend other activities and work education programmes,
· submit to drug tests when required.
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Two new prisoner health facilities at Hawkes Bay Prison, including a new drug and alcohol treatment unit, were officially opened by Minister of Corrections Damien O'Connor today.
As well as the new drug and alcohol treatment unit, which offers an intensive, six-month course of treatment for prisoners, a new general-purpose health unit was opened.
"Addressing prisoners' health needs is a pivotal part of the Government's Effective Interventions programme, which is aimed at reducing re-offending and bringing down re-imprisonment rates," Mr O'Connor said.
"For prisoners in Hawkes Bay these units will quite literally be the first step back on the road to recovery - the road to their and the community's improved well-being."
The strong Government focus on rehabilitation is seeing significant improvements in prison health facilities across the country, Mr O'Connor said. Late last year a new health centre opened in Wanganui Prison, an A&D unit opened in Christchurch Prison, and two further A&D units are to open in the next year.
By the middle of next year the number of D&A treatment places open to prisoners will be more than 500 a year, Mr O'Connor said.
"When you consider that 60 percent of offenders are affected by alcohol or drugs at the time of their conviction, the need for facilities such as this is evident.
"Research shows that offenders who have been through a treatment unit are 13 per cent less likely to be re-imprisoned after 24 months than if they had not attended treatment."
While in the DTU prisoners must:
· adhere to a signed contract - including a stipulation to be drug and alcohol free,
· complete the required number of programme hours,
· agree to attend other activities and work education programmes,
· submit to drug tests when required.