Pubdate: Fri, 27 Oct 2006
Source: New Zealand Herald (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2006 New Zealand Herald
Contact:  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/300

GROUPS UNITE TO CAMPAIGN FOR PUNISHMENT WITHOUT JAIL

Two Christian groups working in prisons joined forces yesterday to 
start a campaign to persuade New Zealanders to keep more people out of prison.

The Salvation Army and Prison Fellowship invited all MPs to a meeting 
at Parliament to hear from a high-powered reference board for the 
campaign, led by former Governor-General and Anglican Archbishop Sir 
Paul Reeves.

The Salvation Army's director of social policy, Major Campbell 
Roberts, said other measures, such as treating mental health problems 
and addictions, would be more effective in reducing crime than 
locking offenders in jail.

"We are locking more people away than previously, and for longer 
periods, but if you said to most people, are they feeling safer, the 
answer would be no," he said.

"Often the only response that we have to punishment is prison, but 
there are other options. There are things that are working well. 
People need to know that."

New Zealand's jail rolls have risen by a third since a tough new 
sentencing law was passed in 2002, and the country now has the 
fourth-highest imprisonment rate in the developed world.

But this year the Government has taken steps to slow the growth, 
introducing new community-based sentences, new sentencing guidelines, 
a Sentencing Council and two more prison drug and alcohol treatment units.

Major Roberts said everyone accepted that some offenders needed to be 
locked up for a long time "because there is nothing you are going to 
be able to do that will change their behaviour".

"But there is an argument about how many people that is," he said.

"I think the tendency is to think that most of the prison population 
is in that situation, whereas I think it's quite a small number of people."

Most offenders could be helped on to a lawful path with adequate 
mental health and addiction services.

"We need to make sure there are adequate services available for 
addicts and for those things which are often driving people into 
criminal activity in the first place," Major Roberts said.

The Rethinking Crime and Punishment campaign would provide factual 
material to balance the emotions stirred up by individual violent 
crimes, he said.

Other reference board members include Auckland University law 
professor Warren Brookbanks, South Auckland Christian social worker 
Sam Chapman, Maxim Institute director Greg Fleming, former prison 
manager Celia Lashlie, former Ombudsman Mel Smith, Youth Court Judge 
Stan Thorburn and church leaders.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine