Drivers of Crime - Family Violence
By Kim Workman | June 16, 2009
In the lead article this week, Kim Workman said that “Approaches that are innovative and socially inclusive are inevitably community- based. The government has set the scene for a wider community involvement, which will engage those communities most seriously affected in the development of a comprehensive and sustainable criminal justice strategy - a strategy that could carry through for the next decade. ……..The challenge for the government is to avoid the temptation of addressing the causes of crime through crime spectacles, and instead, develop community strategies to minimise social harm.”Do you agree? Should the community bear some lf the responsibility for reducing crime? Or is this more properly a role for the Police and enforcement agencies?
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Drivers of Crime - The Issue of Child Abuse
By Kim Workman | June 9, 2009
The US National Council of Crime and Delinquency reports that the single greatest predictor of youth offending is prior victimisation. Susan Herman says, “It is in our interest as a nation to help the victims of crime not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because helping victims may turn out to be one of the most effective ways to prevent further crime and violence.. It raises an interesting issue; at what age does a victim become an offender? What are your thoughts?
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Developing a Positive Prison Culture (Part Two)
By Kim Workman | March 25, 2009
In talking about the impact of imprisonment, newsletter #56 says this:
The prison experience is far removed from the realities of outside life, and this is a central factor as to why reintegration can be so difficult. The prison leaves indelible marks on the inmate - both in terms of personal agonies and frustrations, and with respect to the official blot on their record which will dog them the rest of their lives and severely affect their chances of successfully re-entering the mainstream of social life.
Do you agree with this statement. Do you think we take fully into account, the impact of prison, when offenders are sent there. What sort of person is released? What are we seeking to achieve?
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The Three Strikes Sting
By Kim Workman | March 19, 2009
In a recent special edition newsletter, we revealed that politicians were withholding key information about the proposed three strikes legislation, in order to persuade the general public that the measure was much more punitive than it is. Why do you think politicians find it necessary to continually present to the public a “get tough” approach? Is it about presenting the right political image to the public? Is it about vote catching? Or is it that they are poorly serviced by those government agencies whose job it is to provide solid information on the downstream consequences of legislation?
What do you think?
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Developing a Positive Prison Culture (Part One)
By Kim Workman | March 17, 2009
The government plans to double bunk prisoners in the four newest prisons - Ngawha, Springhill, Auckland Womens Regional Prison, and Milton.That proposal will double the number of prisoners in the normal cell accommodation. Each prison was designed to accommodate one prisoner per cell, and the infrastructure, -kitchens, programme rooms, medial facilities, recreational facilities, and support services (psychologists, social workers, programme staff).
Greg Newbold, well known criminologist calls it “the beginning of the decline of Corrections in this country”. David Garrett, ACT MP, responds with “”Who cares if inmates don’t want to be ‘cooped up’ together for long periods of time? These criminals have lost the right to have their comforts considered,”
The purpose of double bunking is to save taxpayer money. Will it, in the long term? What do you think?
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