August 27, 2018
Healing in the hīnaki Davis aim
Healing in the hīnaki Davis aim
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis has endorsed a call for healing rather than punishment in the prison system.
The call comes from the New Zealand Association for Psychotherapists, which says many inmates are in prison because their homes aren't suitable for home detention.
Mr Davis says some of the work coming out of last week's criminal justice is looking at how to help people heal.
"We know the drug and alcohol issues people have, they need to heal, not be punished for being addicted to a substance. We know that people with mental health issues, they need to be helped to heal. So we need to create more supportive environments wherever they may be, and if they have to be in prison, make sure that prison is a more supportive environment to meet their needs, which is why at Waikeria we are building that 100-bed health unit, but that is just scratching the surface. We need more of that all around the country and it is unfortunate that the best mental health facilities in the country will be based in a prison," he says.
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