February 25, 2021
Kaitaia facility alternative to prison for mad not bad
A far north community advocate wants to use Corrections’ Hokai Rangi strategy to bring some of its whanau home.
He Korowai Trust chief executive Ricky Houghton says the trust has built a 12-bed facility that is suitable for men on bail or electronic bail and can serve as an alternative to prison.
He says too many Māori are ending up behind bars because of mental health reasons, and the trust can help.
"The services that were out in the community couldn't cope with their illness. The families were under-resourced so they got into trouble with the police and now they're in prison. Here you have 40 per cent of the population in prison. I want to bring some of my relations and my brothers and sisters home from prison. That's what I want to do this year," Mr Houghton says.
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