Life skills boosted for offenders

Bay of Plenty criminal offenders are learning skills to help them stay on the straight and narrow. File photo

More than 300 criminal offenders in the Bay of Plenty have completed work and living skills training as part of their community work sentences since July 2016.

Work and Living Skills allows eligible offenders sentenced to more than 80 hours of community work to convert up to 20 per cent of their hours into work and skills training.

The training ranges from road safety, driver licensing, cooking, health and wellbeing, education, parenting, and budgeting to work skills aimed at increasing employment opportunities.

Since July 1, 2016, 344 offenders have completed work and living skills training in the Bay of Plenty.

Programmes locally include a Child Matters course which provides an overview of child abuse and neglect and allows participants to ask questions and discuss matters with Child Matters staff, and a curriculum vitae preparation workshop where offenders can get help and preparation for finding a job.

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller commends the local people and organisations that run these programmes and help offenders to make positive changes to their lives.

'These programmes provide offenders with opportunities they otherwise may not have had. It is important that we support offenders to become responsible members of our community, and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.”

Nationally, 12,694 offenders completed work and living skills training in 2016, up from 7278 in 2015.

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5 comments

The other stars of this show...

Posted on 13-02-2017 17:04 | By pdf071

Are the staff at Dept of Corrections who don't appear to be recognised here. Dept of Corrections staff work tirelessly to reduce reoffending and are charged with the responsibility of managing the sentences that Courts impose including Community Work. Nice work Corrections!


More Nancy Treatment For Criminals

Posted on 14-02-2017 11:13 | By BennyBenson

Why is it that these offenders can't do their FULL sentence of community work BEFORE participating in this programme? I believe the increasing crime in NZ is in a big part due to weak sentences handed out if/when they get caught..there's very little deterrent with weak pathetic sentences.


Ah yes, the throw away the key theory

Posted on 14-02-2017 13:27 | By jonthejoiner

If you have a nice home background a reasonable education and two parents who show you the way in life then you have a reasonable chance, if not its a very tough and cold world out there.Having come from the UK, from a nice middle class background, but due to being stupid/dyslexic I had to play on the other side of the wall.I had the interesting view of life, I worked on building sites for the first 5 years of my working life and believe me you meet some tough lads in that industry.During that time I gave a mate of mine a start, having a Mohawk and a very bad reputation was sending him the way of these lads, but now he has a company a house and a future.So for those who want to lock um up, show some compassion.


Offenders

Posted on 14-02-2017 13:49 | By Hilaire

Repetitive offenders could also be taught life skills and given work experience from jail and be put to work with the same skills learned when they are let out i.e. construction and farming is desperately required Teach them some real work experience


jonthejoiner

Posted on 15-02-2017 07:34 | By BennyBenson

I don't see that anyone here had mentioned "locking them up and throwing away the key", however, sentencing should fit the crime, thus the lesson there are actually consequences for your actions. There is nothing wrong with expecting criminals to complete their full community work, it's hardly hard labour. And offenders of serious crimes should be locked up, for the safety of everyone in the community. Blessie Gotingco and many others would still be here if those dangerous unstable perpetrators had been kept behind bars, instead of wandering around with a jolly ankle bracelet on. NZ's justice system is a joke and the only ones hard done by in that system are the many victims of crime in NZ.


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