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

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

Source: Statistics NZ, Recorded Crime Tables 2012

People Convicted by Offence Category

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

Against person PropertyDrug Justice, Government, otherTraffic

Source: Statistics NZ, Criminal Conviction and Sentencing Statistics, 2012

People Convicted: Most Serious Sentence

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

Imprisonment Home DetCommunity Sentence MonetaryOther Conv & Discharge

Source: Statistics NZ, Criminal Conviction and Sentencing Statistics, 2012

People Convicted : Prison Sentences

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

0100020003000400050006000700080009000

10000

ImprisonmentSource: Statistics NZ, Criminal Conviction and Sentencing Statistics, 2012

Prison Sentences Per 100,000 Population

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2010

2012

0

50

100

150

200

250

Source: Statistics NZ, Population Estimates and Criminal Conviction and Sentencing Statistics 2012

Prison population

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

0100020003000400050006000700080009000

10000

Population

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

Prisoners per 100,000 population

Japa

n

Finla

nd

Nor

way

Canad

a

Austral

ia UK

Slov

akia N

Z

Mex

ico

Chile U

S0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

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

All ages

20 - 24

25 - 29

30 - 39

40 and above

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

52

71

55

49

35

71

88

74

69

51

% Reconvicted % Re-imprisonedDepartment of Corrections, Reconviction patterns of released prisoners: A 60-months follow up analysis, 2009

Community Sentences: Reconviction and Imprisonment

All ages

Under 20

20 - 24

25 - 29

30 - 39

40 and above

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

% Reconvicted % ImprisonedDepartment 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 18-24 2012

Drivers of Crime Ministerial Meeting 2009

Poor parenting Poor education Disconnectedness from wider societyFailure to provide right environment for

children to thrive Failure to intervene early enough to address

the risk factorsDeterioration 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 conferencingMore Māori-specific initiatives – e.g.

Rangatahi Youth Courts, Kaikohe Youth Court initiative

Source: Ministry of Justice , June 2011 report back