SPEECH IN NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT TODAY
Reducing youth offending programme
Reducing Youth Offending Programme For many years
successive Governments have grappled with what to do with young people
who commit offences. We have all heard the media reports about the
number of New Zealand youth who are 'out of control'. We've seen the
images in the media of youth who have committed horrendous crimes
including murder, aggravated robbery, burglary. We count ourselves lucky
and are glad that 'it's not a child from my family'. We wonder what's
wrong with these children and their families.
The simple fact is, for most of the young people
committing crime in New Zealand, nothing much is wrong with them or
their families. Kids commit offences, and while it's wrong, much of it
is about pushing boundaries. But there is a small group of young people
who commit offences that are serious and/or repetitive. I reiterate that
this group is small in number. Most of them know what they are doing is
wrong but they can't seem to help it. They and their families have
struggled to change but they don't know how. Their mates could be in the
same position. Often they have not attended school, they have turned to
drugs and alcohol and they have become separated from their family and
community. These are the young people who are our focus today.
I'd like to welcome you to the launch of the Reducing
Youth Offending Programme. This programme is about helping that small
group of kids who go on to lead a life of crime, those kids we normally
give up on because they are too hard to change.
Two Government Departments, Child, Youth and Family
and Corrections have joined together, and have pooled their resources,
knowledge and skills to develop and establish this programme.
We all know who these kids are — they are the ones who
were trouble at school or didn't attend much, we see them ‘hanging
around’, they appear in our criminal system and we say ‘I knew that
would happen!’ This Government and its' Departments are focused on
identifying these youth as early as possible and this programme is
targeted at them. Our focus is to reduce the chances that they will go
on to lead a life of crime.
Why was Multi-Systemic Therapy Chosen? This programme
uses Multi-Systemic Therapy, or MST, which is a model that was developed
in America. It focuses on the youth, their peers, their school, their
family, and the communities in which they and their family live. Working
within the family is largely what makes MST work. Overseas, MST has
achieved positive results; between 20 and 40% reduction in re-offending
and improving lives in a number of ways.
Is This Programme an Example of a 'Soft on Crime"
Approach? The Reducing Youth Offending Programme is not a soft option.
It's hard work for the youth and their family and it requires a great
deal of commitment. The Case Worker assists with repairing relationships
— between the youth and their family, and between the family and the
wider community. It would be much easier to ignore these kids and their
families — but through hard work and commitment we can help them make
lifelong changes. Healing, positive growth and restoration are important
elements of the Reducing Youth Offending Programme.
It's easy to say ‘hey, I'm a victim too!’ and expect
others to provide for us. It's so much harder to do for ourselves. I'm
reminded of the adage ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him once; teach a
man to fish and you feed him for life.’ This reflects the focus of the
Reducing Youth Offending Programme. It's about teaching families to be
independent and helping kids grow up in a positive way.
I know that both Departments have worked hard to
ensure that this programme will address the needs of our Maori and
Pacific young people and we'll be watching results in this area closely.
Our Case Workers, the Supervisor, and the Programme Manager all come
from a variety of backgrounds. They are required to be available 24
hours a day, seven days a week. I would like to make special mention of
you today. You have a challenging role to play and you need all of our
support and assistance.
Summary In closing, thank you for coming today. The
Reducing Youth Offending Programme is a model demonstrating how
Departments can work together to better our communities. If it achieves
the outcomes we want, there will be a group of New Zealand youth whose
lives have changed for the better and families who are much better
placed to care for themselves and their children.
Speech: New Zealand Government
12 May 2004
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0405/S00227.htm
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