Habilitation units enhance public safety - Sharples

The Associate Minister of Corrections has outlined his proposals for a Maori Habilitation Unit tonight, in a speech to the AGM of the Howard League for Penal Reform in Christchurch.

“My model is totally concerned with habilitation to avoid reoffending, and repatriation to society at large, to enhance public safety,” said Dr Sharples.

“It is common knowledge that many prisoners are institutionalised, and have never faced up to their crimes and the consequences, so when they finish their sentences, they return to society unhealed,” said Dr Sharples.

“A Whare Oranga Ake – a House of Renaissance, if you like – offers prisoners who are determined to make changes in their lives a pathway to reform by:

- requiring them to confront their offending and deal with the causes

- preparing them for life outside prison with courses in literacy, numeracy and a vocation, a trade or job skills

- establishing support groups who will help them make the transition and who will monitor their progress

- repatriating them to society - their families and, where appropriate, their victims and the victims’ families, and wider society.

“The pressure for a new approach is coming from our high rate of recidivism in New Zealand, and the totally unacceptable rate of incarceration of Maori,” said Dr Sharples.

“Recent Governments have focused on increasing punishment, with longer maximum sentences and restrictions on parole. The same emphasis has not gone into the basics of habilitation - addressing the drivers of offending, and increasing prisoners’ capacity to succeed in life.

“When I started working on this idea 25 years ago, the prison muster was around 4,000 people. Last week it was 8,291. So we cannot go on like this.

“The kaupapa, or philosophy, underpinning the Whare Oranga Ake is Maori tuku iho, from Maori tradition; and while I see critical issues for Maori getting priority in the first centre, the model can be applied to any ethnic group.

“I have agreement in principle from the Prime Minister, and the Ministers of Justice, Corrections and Finance – so the time is right to develop this idea.

“We also have offers of support from community groups who are willing to establish support groups for prisoners during their transition to life outside the wire,” said Dr Sharples.