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Bennett praises boot-camps despite high reoffending rate

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Wed, 20 Jul 2011 2:55p.m.

Paula Bennett

Paula Bennett

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says it's too soon to judge reoffending rates for youth offenders on the new Fresh Start programme.

This is despite figures today showing the majority of young people who entered the scheme ended up reoffending.

Seventeen youths have been on the two boot-camp programmes run so far - in 2009 and 2010.

According to the NZPA only two of those people had not reoffended and four participants were now in jail.

There was a silver lining though with eight of the reoffenders doing so less frequently and nine committing less serious crimes than before going on the scheme.

More than a thousand young people are going through the programme, which involves bootcamps, parenting, drug and alcohol programmes and harsher sentences for repeat young offenders.

Ms Bennett believes the scheme is making a difference.

“It’s early days – they were only implemented eight months ago, but I feel like we are making progress. We are seeing better results for young people and judges are certainly seeing that these renewed sentences can make a difference,” she says.

An interim report on the programme, which began in October, shows 223 young offenders have been released on supported bail to youth justice residences.

Twenty young people have been sent to boot-camps run by the Defence Force, and more than 600 have taken part in various self-improvement programmes.

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Comments

20 Jul 2011 04:23p.m.

johnmillan wrote:

Just looking at that photo,did they forget to send it off too the meat works.

20 Jul 2011 04:10p.m.

John wrote:

Of course Ms Bennett believes the scheme is making a difference. To say otherwise is to admit the scheme doesn't work. While new in NZ boot camps have been run in many other countries since the 1990s. And all the research shows that it is cost effective (what governments like to hear) but recidivism rates are unaffected: "The bulk of the evidence from previous studies supports the conclusion that boot camps are ineffective as correctional treatment (MacKenzie et al.,2001)."
The government is only interested in economic aspects of youth justice. They are not willing to make the hard social decisions. Since the PC hands off positive reinforcement no smacking brigade gained the upper hand no one is willing to stand up and say that our society is too soft let’s toughen up. If you know the worst that will happen is that someone will talk sternly but kindly to you and you have to write a letter of apology you know basically you got away with it.
Kids love the free adventure holidays (boot camps, outward bound etc) they get. When I was a youth worker, one kid said it wasn’t worth being good coz all the bad kids got the good stuff.
Unfortunately, our judges are also out of touch with the reality of the youth that come into their courts. Judge Becroft likes the idea that kids are hard wired for violence at a young age. Rubbish that is not a valid psychological theory. The brain is not hard wired and changes can easily be made, it costs for the right treatment so not in favour with governments although in the long term they would pay dividends.
And what of the social structure we have, a individualistic competitive materialistic culture we people are judged by their financial success? Kids aren’t stupid, they know they can’t ‘make it’ in society so they ‘make it’ in their own social group. At least there, they get acceptance, recognition, and status.
Half way through my PhD research, I realised that society was at fault as much as the kids and their families and those who had power weren’t interested in facing or dealing with such a reality. Until someone is prepared to make the hard decisions and deal with the societal problems youth justice/issues will continue to be a growth industry.