15 April 2020
C118687
Kingi Snelgar
[FYI request #12223 email]
Tena koe Mr Snelgar,
Thank you for your email of 12 February 2020, requesting information related to programmes
and services funded by Corrections in the community, which have a specific Te Ao Māori or
Tikanga Māori focus. Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act
1982 (OIA).
You requested:
1) … all information about the programmes and services you fund or deliver in the
community with a specific Māori or Tikanga Māori focus.
Corrections has designed all of its rehabilitation programmes with the intent to be responsive
to cultural needs by including aspects of Tikanga Māori. There are several programmes,
outlined below, where Corrections engages providers to deliver programmes with agreed
service specifications, and the providers deliver their own programmes in line with those
service specifications. Where kaupapa Māori providers have been contracted to deliver these
programmes, they deliver under a specific Māori framework.
As you will also be aware, the Minister of Corrections recently launched our new strategy,
Hōkai Rangi: Ara Poutama Aotearoa Strategy 2019-2024. Hōkai Rangi outlines our strategic
direction over the next five years and represents our new approach to how we work, how we
interact with people in our care and management, and the services, facilities, and programmes
that we provide, with the aim of addressing the significant over-representation of Māori in
prison and reoffending rates.
More information regarding
Hōkai Rangi, including a ful copy of the new Strategy, is available
on our website at:
www.corrections.govt.nz/resources/strategic_reports/corrections_
strategic_plans/hkai_rangi
Please find the programmes funded by Corrections with a specific Māori focus below:
• Community Residential Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment (Packages of Care) where
these are delivered by kaupapa Māori providers;
• Community Non-Violence Programmes where these are delivered by kaupapa Māori
providers;
• Tikanga Māori Motivational Programme’s;
• Specialist Māori Cultural Assessment;
• The WHARE Programme;
• Tai Aroha Residential Programme; and
• Tiaki Tangata Reintegrative Programme.
Due to the substantial amount of work that would be required to research and col ate “al
information” regarding these programmes as you have requested, we are refusing your
request under section 18(f) of the OIA. In accordance with the OIA, we have considered
whether to affix a charge or extend the time limit for responding. However, given the scale of
the request we do not consider that this would be an appropriate use of our publicly funded
resources.
As per section 18(b) of the OIA, we have considered whether consulting you would assist to
make the request in a form that would remove the reason for the refusal. However, we do not
consider that the request could be refined in this instance. However, if you are able to refine
your request to more specific information about these programmes, we would be happy to
reconsider your request.
You may be interested to know there is information regarding the programmes offered by
Corrections on our website at:
www.corrections.govt.nz/resources/research_and_
statistics/journal/volume_4_issue_2_december_2016/the_department_of_corrections_tikang
a-based_programmes
2) What specific programmes are available that encompasses Tikanga Māori or Te Ao
Māori for offenders under a supervision order or intensive supervision order.
All of the programmes identified above are available to people in the care and management of
Corrections under a supervision or intensive supervision order. Specifically, the Tai Aroha
Residential Programme is for high-risk male participants serving sentences of Home Detention
or Intensive Supervision in the community, with multiple treatment needs related to violent as
well as non-violent offending. Potential candidates must have at least one conviction
(historical or index) for interpersonal violence.
3) How much of the Corrections budget is dedicated to funding Māori specific
programmes? What percentage is that of the annual Corrections budget?
Corrections’ budget for funding Māori-specific programmes is $31 million in the 2019/20
financial year. This represents 2.29 percent of the total 2019/20 budget expenditure excluding
capital charge and depreciation. However, as noted above, all our rehabilitation programmes
are designed with the intent to be responsive to cultural needs by including aspects of Tikanga
Māori.
4) What MOUs or relationships are established between Corrections and Marae, Hapu,
Iwi or other urban Māori authorities to strengthen community-based services under
corrections?
Please find the requested information attached as Appendix One.
5) What specific programmes are available to Māori offenders serving sentences or on
parole in the community for Māori aged between 17 and 25?
Corrections currently has a range of programmes offered to the people in our care and
management, with varying eligibility criteria depending on the offence type and other factors
including (but not limited to) length of sentence, security classification and estimated risk of
re-offending. Corrections has designed al of its programmes to be responsive to the cultural
needs of Māori, although some programmes are more heavily tikanga based than others and
some are more offence focused.
The fol owing programmes are currently offered in the community:
• Community Residential Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Programme;
• Alcohol and Other Drugs Aftercare Worker Service (for those who have completed or
exited early from a Drug Treatment Programme (DTP) or Intensive Treatment
Programme (ITP);
• Non-violence programmes (males and females aged 17+); and
• Harmful sexual behaviour community-based service for people who have offended
against children.
Medium Intensity Programmes for men:
• Medium Intensity Rehabilitation Programme (MIRP) for males over 20 years old;
• Short Rehabilitation Programme for Men (SRP-M) for males over 20 years old;
• Short Motivational Programme (SMP) and Tikanga Māori Motivational Programme for
males of any age;
• Mauri Toa Rangatahi for males under the age of 20 years old; and
• The WHARE programme for young men aged 18-24 (25-27-year olds are included on a
case-by-case basis).
Medium Intensity Programmes for women:
• Kowhiritanga for females of any age;
• Short Rehabilitation Programme for Women (SRP-W) for females of any age; and
• Short Motivational Programme (SMP) for females of any age
High Intensity Programmes for men:
• Tai Aroha Special Treatment Unit – Violence Prevention Programme for males aged
between 20 and 40 years old (with 18- and 19-year olds considered on a case by case
basis);
• Mauri Tu Mauri Ora (MTMO) - A high risk youth programme for males 17 years old
(with 18- and 19-year olds considered on a case by case basis). This programme begins
in prison but has a community component; and
• High Risk Burglary Prevention Programme for males aged 18-27 years of age (18-24
prioritised).
The following reintegration services are available to all people in the care of Corrections
serving community sentences or on parole:
• Out of Gate – reintegration assessment and planning beginning in prison and
continuing for four (adults) to 12 (youth) weeks following release;
• Emergency Accommodation;
• Employment and Accommodation Service;
• Employment Support Service; and
• Enhanced Supported Accommodation and Employment Service.
I trust the information provided is of assistance. Should you have any concerns with this
response, I would encourage you to raise these with Corrections. Alternatively, you are advised
of your right to also raise any concerns with the Office of the Ombudsman. Contact details are:
Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nga mihi
Topia Rameka
Deputy Chief Executive Maori
