June 04, 2014
Corrections on own with violence model
A leading prison reform advocate says the Corrections Department’s approach to family violence is at odds with what the non-government sector is doing, and ignores any Maori dimension.
Kim Workman from Rethinking Crime and Punishment says community providers of family violence services are boycotting the Corrections tender for delivery of a new programme.
That’s because the department subscribes to the theory family violence is caused by patriarchal ideology, and that it’s a learned behaviour that can be altered by focusing on psychological factors such as emotional and behavioural self-control.
Mr Workman says that’s at odds with the approach being taken by the community groups, which take into account more up to date research on why people stop offending.
They’re also more willing to take into account cultural factors such as the over-representation of Maori in family violence statistics.
Mr Workman says by pushing for a medical therapeutic model which depends on delivery from trained clinicians, Corrections is burning off the experience, good will and commitment of not for profit organisations.
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