THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM Quaker penal reform seminar 2013

What I will cover Crime and sentence numbers, rates and trends Sentence effectiveness Better public services initiatives Addressing the causes

Recorded Offences Per 100,000 Population Source: Statistics NZ, Recorded Crime Tables 2012

People Convicted by Offence Category Source: Statistics NZ, Criminal Conviction and Sentencing Statistics, 2012

People Convicted: Most Serious Sentence Source: Statistics NZ, Criminal Conviction and Sentencing Statistics, 2012

People Convicted : Prison Sentences Source: Statistics NZ, Criminal Conviction and Sentencing Statistics, 2012

Prison Sentences Per 100,000 Population Source: Statistics NZ, Population Estimates and Criminal Conviction and Sentencing Statistics 2012

Prison population Source: Department of Corrections, Offender Volumes Report 2011, Prison Facts and Statistics June 2012

Prisoners per 100,000 population Source: Te Ara The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand

Imprisonment: Brief Facts and Figures Average annual cost of per prisoner is $90,936 Prisoners are fed at a cost of less than $5 per day 67% of prisoners are engaged in employment activity 55% engaged in rehabilitation activity 23 % are gang members Source: Department of Corrections, Prison Facts and statistics – December 2011,

Prisoners: Reconviction and Re-imprisonment Department of Corrections, Reconviction patterns of released prisoners: A 60-months follow up analysis, 2009

Community Sentences: Reconviction and Imprisonment Department of Corrections, Reconviction patterns of offenders managed in the community: A 60-months follow up analysis, 2009

Better public services Very positive goals Enthusiastic management Some resourcing Ambitious goals in the context of positive trends Organisational change process is a major challenge

Department of Corrections’ strategy “I want Corrections to take local approaches to reduce re-offending. Communities know their people; they know what works and what doesn’t work. Corrections will engage more with communities to find local solutions that will help offenders to turn their lives around and become a contributing member of their community.” Hon Anne Tolley, Minister of Corrections Source: Department of Corrections, Statement of Intent

Addressing the causes Nigel Latta is convinced “It (the Dunedin study) clearly shows at age three you can identify the children most likely to be in jail by age 26 on the basis of a 30-minute behavioural test. And we know without any doubt that early intervention is how you have an impact on those families.” New Zealand Listener, February

Drivers of Crime Ministerial Meeting 2009 Poor parenting Poor education Disconnectedness from wider society Failure to provide right environment for children to thrive Failure to intervene early enough to address the risk factors Deterioration in family, community and cultural support structures and values (responsibility, respect and caring for others) Source: Ministry of Justice website

Addressing the Drivers Four priority areas selected: Improving ante-natal and early childhood support services for those most at risk Treat and manage behavioural problems in at-risk children and young people Improve availability and accessibility of alcohol and drug treatment services Alternative approaches to low-level offenders and offering pathways out of offending Source: Ministry of Justice, June 2011 report back (to Ministers)

Progress to June 2011 Increased maternity, primary health care and early childhood education for hard to reach families Incredible Years and Triple P Positive Parenting Programmes Alcohol Reform Bill improvements to treatment Expanded Restorative justice conferencing More Māori-specific initiatives – e.g. Rangatahi Youth Courts, Kaikohe Youth Court initiative Source: Ministry of Justice, June 2011 report back