I did not really expect to enjoy the justice summit. Too many people, same old stories, probably not much more than a talkfest. But actually, I enjoyed it hugely and it gave me hope for the future. I believe in hope. It springs eternal. And it can move mountains. And maybe the mountains are ready to be moved.
By the way, the National Party behaved like soul-sucking dementors over the summit and attempts to reform justice, even though everyone knows reform must come. I was at a loss to describe how they were behaving, until I read an article by Peter Dunne (who does have a pithy turn of phrase at times), who advised them to “stop barking at every car”. Exactly. Nail on head. Dem der National dawgs just don’t stop barking, and it is annoying and not very bright. Can I add Greg Newbold to that mix? He has no appetite at all for reform of the system and seems to be stuck in the 1970s view of the prison system, when he was there. His body is free but his mind is still incarcerated.
Three themes emerged for me. The first and most important was that Māori stated (not for the first time) that Māori offending needed to be dealt with at the iwi and hapu level, within the community, by Māori. There are strong plans developing on how to do this. This desire is going to form the centre place of a new system of justice in this country, although I cannot imagine at this stage what it will look like. There is an advisory group and several ministries who have the task of doing this work.
Second, those representing (mostly pākeha) victims of crime have not fully signed up to a programme of massive reform. I listened carefully to the speakers on this topic. I hear their pain and harm but I cannot imagine how a justice system can heal their wounds. Nevertheless, the hope that they will come on board for an effective reform process is alive.
Finally, the vision for major reform of the prison system, courts and police processes is immense. In the last group session, we divided into tables of eight to ‘write a headline’ for twenty years in the future. Our table was keen to signal the end of prisons as we know them, but were also concerned about the victims’ groups, who need to be included. Our headline was “Victims’ rights groups celebrate closure of last prison”.
We thought we were pretty smart and daring, but in fact by far the majority of the groups wrote ‘end of prisons’ headlines. But these were not the clever ones. The best one starts this column: “Another cat rescued from dangerous tree”. So clever and written by a group of school students. A runner-up was “Huge snapper caught in Auckland harbour”. Oh for the day when headlines are no longer about heinous crimes but instead celebrate the daily life of a just and fair New Zealand.
Everything that could be said was said, texted, electronically messaged or otherwise written. The summit was not a talkfest but was definitely a wordfest. A mandate was passed over to the government for massive reform of the justice system. The ministers stayed throughout and promised that they too wanted real change, and had heard the messages that had been given.
My comment to the conference was that we did not have to wait for massive change to occur. We could start changing today. A friendly, welcoming and responsive welfare system, a civil prison system where rules were clear but not abusive, a shift towards the expectation that people will go forth from prison into good lives, far fewer people on remand, family-friendly prisons. There is much that can be done that does not cost and can indeed save money.
The job is dauntingly large, and I expect my enthusiasm will dim over the difficulties of making progress. I expect I will be dead before the reforms are complete. But I hope in the future 2018 will be remembered as a landmark year for justice reform.
Dr Liz Gordon began her working life as a university lecturer at Massey and the Canterbury universities. She spent six years as an Alliance MP, before starting her own research company, Pukeko Research. Her work is in the fields of justice, law, education and sociology (poverty and inequality). She is the president of Pillars, a charity that works for the children of prisoners, a prison volunteer, and is on the board of several other organisations. Her mission is to see New Zealand freed from the shackles of neo-liberalism before she dies (hopefully well before!).
I listened to greg newlbolds talk the other day on RNZ and based on the typical bullshert that came out of his mouth and his pessimism he shouldn’t get anymore funding for his programmes cause he said nothing works. His views to me are typical pakeha views he has an, I know best’ attitude cause I am an expert and only experts like him who are criminologist or who know the corrections system have any right to speak or say anything on this matter. Well whippy do greg some of us know our tikanga and I would prefer to talk to one of my own people who know it rather than an ex con idiot, self opinionated know it all like Greg no more funding for you.
Yes this is all a very easy way out, to have a Big Hui Talk and workshops and handing the Government (who is effectively on remand awaiting a trial by the ballot box in about 24 months from now – all is lost if they lose this impending jury rigged ordeal) bold statements in felt pen on a white board.
But what is it that we the people can do in our own insular nuclear lives?
To “End Prison” we would have to make some very serious changes to our lives.
Before these other people even get to commit these crimes we would need to include them back into our communities and into our lives.
We need to include these people who are currently inside back into our communities while they are inside. We failed to include them in this Justice Summit for a start. We need to include them as voters in our attempt at democracy. We need to include their spare time and surplus energy back into our’s and therefore their’s community. We need to train them in the skills we and they need to work on the outside – instead of importing more people into the country to fill missing skill sets, building houses comes to mind.
We need a Universal Basic Income that includes all people and does not exclude people because they ‘do not fit in’, yes pay it to those inside and claw some of it back in restitution trials on release.
We need to ‘forgive’ people for the wrongs they have done and mostly been taught.
We need a great new openness about who we are, what we do, fingers in pies etc.
We need an end to the war on drugs.
We need an end to inequality to the point where we can value a stranger (a friend we have not yet met) more than we value our new flash climate killing car or television.
Otherwise just build more mega prisons, maybe even go off shore like the Aussies and centuries ago the Brits did. Would the Chatham Islands hold 20,000 prisoners?
Lol Kev what did the Chatham islanders ever do too you?, try the Auckland islands mate, the climate alone would put a shoplifter off
Lol
One thing the Justice Summit did not touch on, how psychiatry had corrupted the justice system
https://www.cchr.org/cchr-reports/eroding-justice/introduction.html
CC, are you aware that the so-called “Citizens Commission on Human Rights” is a front-organisation for the Church of Scientology (which has long had a running battle with psychiatry)? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_Commission_on_Human_Rights
The organisation is well known for spreading cherry-picked information and outright lies.
With National expect more of the same. And expect more of the same results. Result? Some very expensive buildings and kilometres of razor-wire fences.
Question is, who will pay for it?
Answer, we will, through slashed healthcare and education funding.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
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