Secure housing is being identified as a critical factor in reducing reoffending, with a new report highlighting the urgent need for stronger reintegration support for people leaving prison.
The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit has released the first in a six-part series examining what is needed to support successful reintegration. The report focuses on accommodation as the foundation for rebuilding lives after incarceration.
New Zealand continues to face high reoffending rates, with more than 43 percent of people returning to prison within two years of release and nearly 60 percent reoffending. The findings point to housing instability as a major contributing factor.
Many people leaving prison do so without confirmed accommodation, facing barriers such as limited ability to secure housing while still in custody, reluctance from landlords to rent to those with criminal histories, and financial challenges on release.
Research shows a strong link between unstable housing and reoffending. Individuals without secure accommodation are significantly more likely to return to prison, reinforcing the importance of having a stable home base.
The report outlines how housing underpins other aspects of reintegration, including mental health, employment, income stability, and reconnecting with whānau. Without a secure place to live, progress in these areas becomes far more difficult to achieve.
The broader framework identified in the report includes six key pillars of reintegration: accommodation, wellbeing, education, family and community, life skills, and employment. These elements are interconnected, with housing forming the starting point for long-term success.
The report also highlights the wider social and economic costs of failing to provide adequate reintegration support, including ongoing imprisonment costs, increased victimisation, and long-term harm to individuals, whānau, and communities.
The findings are expected to contribute to ongoing discussions around justice reform, housing access, and the need for more effective support systems for people transitioning back into society.
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