February 09, 2024
Cultural reports needed to guide rehabilitation
A Māori youth forensic cultural advisor at Te Whatu Ora says the government is being short-sighted by defunding section 27 Cultural Reports.
Patrick Mendes from Te Rarawa says it will lead to longer sentences and greater recidivism – costing taxpayers more than the $7 million spent on reports last year.
He’s been writing cultural reports for youths and adults for 5 years – and says they often help judges consider rehabilitation programs after jail to try to prevent re-offending.
He says psychiatrists’ reports fall short because the sentencing judge isn’t given the whanau context or whether an offender’s upbringing or trauma may have contributed to their crime.
“I think if you do not put recommendations in there to tautoko ‘Pateriki’ when he comes out of prison ‘Pateriki’ will be part of that record of recidivism – and end up back inside because he’s got no tautoko<” Mr Mendes says.
He says without cultural reports prison becomes only about punishment and not rehabilitation.