Evaluation

I realise that what happens within a prison is controversial and can provoke strong feelings of emotion.  I want to stress that these thoughts and opinions are my own.

Throughout my blog I have made comparisons to prisons in New Zealand and Scotland, opposed to the UK. The reason for this is that our prison and judicial systems are different to in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. I’m sure that most of what I have learnt would absolutely be applicable to the rest of the UK, but my experience has just been working north of the border.

There are often two camps people fall into when having opinions about prisons. Some people believe that going to prison is the punishment; others believe that you go to prison to be punished. I am firmly in the first camp, and I very much believe that what happens to a prisoner when they are serving their sentence is really important.

I like that the Department of Corrections aren’t scared to set themselves challenges, for example making all the prisons non-smoking and the aim of reducing reoffending rates by 25%. I think it is really positive to aim high, and I think it shows a real belief in their system.

One of the things that struck me was the names of the prisons; many of them were called Correctional Facilities opposed to Prisons. The name does sound slightly Orwellian to me, but I do like the idea of it, that while you are there, there is a focus of rehabilitation and correcting behavior.  I was also struck by how nice and clean the prisons are.

There are two major things that I took away from my trip that I think are incredibly important, that I think would be great if we could implement in the UK.

The first one is the establishment of Maori and Pacific Islander Focus Units, and the effort that is made for the prisoners to connect with their heritage. The jails have a disproportionate amount of men and women from either Maori or Islander heritage, but from visiting the prisons I learnt that before going to prison many did not know much about their culture.  As mentioned before, within Maori culture in particular there is a real sense of pride and a heavy focus on family. Many of those who end up in prison have not had stable families, many have been sent to live with several different relatives, and have become more caught up in gang culture, than their own. For the Islanders there is a thing called ‘Seeds of Shame’ where it looks at the fact that their behavior would not be tolerated back at home, and that they can embrace their culture’s views and values to live a lawful life on the outside.

I also believe that if you give someone a real sense of pride and self-belief, perhaps they will not drink or take drugs to such excess. Most crimes in both countries are committed under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

It is also great, however, that you do not have to be Maori, for example, to participate in the Maori Focus Unit, you just need to be committed to learn about it. This is something that could be used in the UK as certain areas get more multicultural, participating and learning about the cultures and customs of others might promote better understanding and stop ignorance and fear.

The second is the effort to link communities with the prisons. Monique Reekers, who is the Programme Manager for Canterbury Prisons says; ‘For me, the arts in prisons are good for the community, good for the Department and good for prisoners. Everyone benefits. Communities are often unsettled about prisons and this can shift their perceptions of the Department and prisoners. Communities tend to feel more comfortable when they’re told about programmes that result in positive change and when they’re invited to see the results for themselves.’

As mentioned in my blog, prison arts tutors organize exhibitions that take place in the community, and have local high schools help. Auckland Council had commissioned the Carving Unit at Pare to make a bench in memory of a young girl who died, and another carving unit has made a special door for another school. Prisoners who participate in the Learning Connextion have their work exhibited alongside other students and the Songs From The Inside documentary was so popular, everyone who I spoke to in New Zealand mentioned it to me. I believe that the community does have a part to play when prisoners are released, and as Monique Reekers says members of the community’s perceptions of prisoners can change if there are integrated arts projects. I would hope that it also would help those who maybe have not felt like they are part of a community to feel more involved.

One thing that I did notice similarities in was when I was talking to prisoners in both New Zealand and in Scotland, is that many had big plans for when they are released, that they didn’t want to go back inside, they wanted to be a good role model for their children etc. I would like to hope that they do mean what they say, however, it is easier to say that in prison, then follow it on the outside where life may be harder than they anticipated due to difficulties finding work, being back in their old areas where there may be temptations or that they are back with the people they used to commit crime with. They may also be labeled as a prisoner, known for the crime that they committed, something that might be hard for them to shake off. All these things can lead to reoffending. Arts Access aim to have projects that once released the prisoners can participate in within the community, so that they still have the opportunity to participate in the arts after release. It would provide stability and support and would be a positive thing for them to be engaging with.

However, this visit also showed me that we’re doing okay in the UK too. I was surprised visiting Pare and learning how long maximum-security prisoners are locked up for during the day, and the fact that not all can access education or arts programmes, to me seems wrong. I was working in a male maximum-security jail in my early twenties and was safe and always felt safe. I loved my job and was and still am proud of the work that was made while I was working there. I believe that those in my classes got a lot from them, and it’s not just me, there are fantastic lecturers based in maximum security prisons throughout the country, and access to education and arts programmes and work means that the prisoners are not wasting their days, but doing something productive. Surely maximum secure prisoners need this the most due to the serious nature of their crimes?

One of the things that struck some people in New Zealand is odd is the way that the colleges that provide education have to hit prisoner learning hours, which means that you need as many prisoners in your class as possible, and at times it seems that your number of hours is more important than the quality of the work that happens in the class. This is not the case at all in New Zealand, although they use volunteers to run most of their programmes, for example when I visited Anne Abraham at Arohata Prison, she was hoping to find a volunteer to take Speech and Drama. I was told that without volunteers not much would happen in prisons.  Working with volunteers is great and it does reinforce the link with the local community, but it does mean that there is not there not the same opportunities for professional artists to work within prisons, and it could mean that the prisoners are not being offered the best possible quality of art.

So in conclusion, I think that if we can create better links with local communities and prisons, it could be hugely beneficial. Centres such as Pablos really worked for when psychiatric hospitals closed down, and it provided a safe and supportive environment for people to go to and work, it exhibits their work and provides them with professional tutors. I think that it would be great if specialist arts centres were set up so prisoners can continue with what they have learnt inside, and have a supportive environment to do it in, run by people who understand their needs.  The extra support that Sandra Hall at the Learning Connexion provides recently released prisoners is outstanding, and it would be fantastic if there was a set up for released prisoners could go to to continue their artistic practice, as well as being able to provide support with issues such as housing, healthcare, employment etc. I think if this was aimed to begin with at those leaving Young Offender’s Institutions, it would be really valuable.

I also think that helping people find pride in who they are and where they are from in important. In Scotland, the things we are famous for are actually quite negative, and as a nation we are very self-deprecating. However, what I know I can do, and what I am doing is passing on to my colleagues who work with young people, particularly young people who are at risk, to make a real effort to work with them to help build their confidence and self-belief. This is something that has been proven time and time again that participation in the arts can help with. It is a small step, but even if it prevents one person from participating in anti social behaviour and ending up spending their lives in and out of prison, then I think that this Fellowship will have been worth it.

I feel incredibly lucky to have had this experience. I have learnt so much, met so many amazing and inspiring people and was able to travel to the other side of the world to learn about something that is very important to me. This was an experience that I will never forget, and I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to do this.

Northern Region Corrections Facility

Today I made my final prison visit to the Northern Region Corrections Facility, which is in the North of the country, about a three-hour drive from Auckland.  This is a new jail, which looks very similar to Spring Hill.  In the north there are more Maori tribes than in the south, and part of this prison’s ethos is to bring the men home, and to connect with their roots and their tribes.  Like in the Rimutaka Prison Maori Focus Unit, there is a real push to get prisoners to come back to their culture and to be exposed to the way that their tribe view the world. Men would request to come to this prison if they want to learn more about their Maori heritage, although, as this a local jail, there are prisoners here who do not see themselves as Maori and there are equivalent programmes for them.

Olivia took me to meet Amiria who is one of the two Chaplins in this prison, and she is the only full-time female Chaplin in a men’s prison in New Zealand.  It was fantastic to meet her. Within the jail there is a Pua, which is a multi-purpose room, and it is used for religious services as well as other programmes. Amiria has also been running a similar project to Songs From The Inside, but she has been doing it for years and it is on going. I met a prisoner who has the equivalent job of ‘Pass Man’ for the Pua, so he cleans it, and then can work on his music when he has finished. There is recording equipment in there, guitars, a drum kit and a mic.  Once they are happy with their music, they can burn them onto a CD. They also can do performances to other prisoners or friends and family. Amira is very keen on the arts, and does try and use them within her work. The role of Chaplin is slightly different in New Zealand, than it is at home. There are no social workers in the prison, so they take over some of that work now too. Amira has set some prisoners the challenge of telling their life story without words, and she said that what they produced was really amazing.

I also met Raewyn who is the Programmes Coordinator and Susan who is the Prison Visual Art Tutor.  Susan is currently preparing for an exhibition that will happen in a gallery outside the prison, for the community. Both Susan and Raewyn really believe in the importance of linking the community to the prison, as they feel that if the community is supportive it will make it easier when the prisoners are released. Also, in New Zealand, they really rely on volunteers to run programmes, therefore they need people from the local communities to volunteer or programmes won’t get run.

In the Northern Region there are close links with people from the local Maori tribe, and for prisoners who do identify themselves as Maori, they take part in a Tikanga, which is an intensive three-day course that teaches the participants the general behavior guidelines for daily life in Maori culture.  Amiria believes that this is really important, as gang culture is really prevalent, many prisoners have tried to copy the American gangster lifestyle, and it hasn’t worked, so this helps them find out more about who they are and where they are from.  After participating in the Tikanga, they may then be eligible to do an intensive course that looks directly at their crimes and their state of mind when they did it, and they have to address this directly. I think this is a little like the Violence Prevention Programme that runs in Scotland.  It is run by the same people who run the Tikanga, however, a prisoner may have to repeat the 3-day Tikanga course several times before it is felt that they are ready to participate in the next programme. This programme is thought to be the most successful in the whole country.

Within the prison, there are graduations when prisoners complete courses, and families are invited to attend. Traditionally family is very important within Maori culture, and this importance is stressed. This prison also runs the Storybook Dad project, and they offer parenting programmes, both on the inside and the outside.

This is the last entry that I will write before my report and evaluation. I realise that what I’ve written hasn’t been particularly analytical, however I did want to write down all the information that I had learnt and to have time to think about it.  I also hope that this means that others who read this can form their own opinions too.  There is no easy answer as to how to best use the arts in prisons, and what happens in a prison itself is a controversial matter, in which a lot of people have very strong opinions. This is something that interests me hugely, obviously.

It has been such an amazing experience being here and meeting such fantastic and passionate people. I have also learnt so much about Maori culture, I really knew nothing about it before coming over, but it is something that I have had to learn about, and I am so glad that I have.

Arts Access Day 2

Wow! I have to say that I am a little overwhelmed by today, in a really positive way!

I had my second day in Wellington being hosted by Richard and Arts Access Aotearoa.

In the morning we met with Sharon Hall who is the Restricted Programmes Coordinator for The Learning Connexion. This is a programme that anyone can apply to do, it’s a bit like doing the Open University and it is to allow people to study art. This programme is used in prisons, but it is not exclusive to prisoners, it is open to anyone who fits the criteria. It was great to meet with Sharon as just from having a conversation with her, I could tell how passionate she is about arts in prisons, and I wonder just how successful this project would be if it wasn’t Sharon running it. The centre provides the student with materials that they need to do their work, and this obviously involves negotiation with each individual prison, as each one has a different way of working, and then when there are staff changes, this can change things again. To have students in every prison, which they have, has taken time and I think a lot of that must be due to Sharon’s personality and passion.

What I also really like is that once released the student can continue to study their course, and I think the fact that they still have this is great, as it is something that stays the same, while everything else has changed. Upon release, when they get sent further materials that they weren’t allowed in the prison, Sharon will send them a list of people on the outside that they can contact if they have problems readjusting, or if they need help. She works closely with probation officers too, so that people feel supported.

For those who are inside, members of staff will try and visit the prisons regularly, and if they can’t, all participants have their phone number so they can call if they don’t understand something or need help, and Sharon or one of the mentors can talk them through it. Although they provide distance learning, they have an admirable hands on approach.

In the afternoon Richard took me to Rimutaka Prison to the Maori Focus Unit. The Maori culture is quite a strict one, a long time ago doing something wrong could have ended up with a beheading! We met John who is the Prison Officer in charge of the Unit. When we entered he welcomed us he recited his Mihmihi (I think that’s right!) where he tells me his name, where he is from, where his family are from, and the river and mountain nearest his people. I then replied, thankfully it was okay for me to do in English. There is a hope that participation in this unit will restore Mana, which is a Maori word meaning dignity and respect. This is a culture that is proud and respectful, and you can tell that this has been passed on as the rooms are spotless, no graffiti or mess anywhere. There are prayers that are on the wall of the carving room, and they must be said first thing in the morning and last thing at night. In the classroom where the prisoners go to learn the Maori language the first rule is that English cannot be spoken. Many of the men in the Unit cannot speak Maori or are not that aware of the culture, and so it is relatively new to them. They are told of Maori myths, rituals and customs. We went into the art room where Chris Barrand also teaches. One of the men was painting a sun setting over a mountain that is connected to his Maori ancestors, and he plans to paint a symbol over the sun. He wants to give this painting to his sons and tell them the myth of the mountain. He has been sending his youngest son paintings of animals putting their English and Maori names on them so what he is learning will be passed onto his children. When we were leaving, the men decided that they wanted to perform a kappa haka for me. This was unlike yesterday when the women were rehearsing and Anne suggested they do it, nobody asked them to, but they decided to do it. It was so different seeing that to the women’s one. They both are so energetic and passionate.  It’s very different to watching the All Blacks do it on television, it really was quite incredible and is something I will never forget.

When we were leaving John caught up with us and gifted me with traditional Maori jewelry that he carved out of bone for me, it’s called taonga and it means treasure. It is really special and represents prosperity and good health. I’m so unbelievably touched by the generosity that has been shown to me here.

On the way back into Wellington Richard kindly showed me the other side of Maori culture, yes there are a disproportionate amount of Maoris in prison, but he also took me to see Wairaheti Marae which is the building or meeting house of a tribe that has been very successful. We met Lillian Hetet who’s family are very influential in this tribe, he mother was a very famous artist, not just in Maori culture but worldwide, and her father was a carver. It was great to meet her, she explained a lot about Maori culture to me, which is fascinating, and I think vital to know when looking at arts and culture in New Zealand.

I still can’t believe what happened today! It was fantastic and I feel so lucky to have experienced it. I’m gutted that this is my last day in Wellington with Arts Access, I’ve had an amazing time and I have learnt so much. I’m off on a short break around the South Island, and then I’m up to the Northern Region to visit the prison up there. They also have a Maori Focus Unit, which is bigger than the one in Rimutaka as the Maori population is bigger there.

My taonga!

Richard, Lillian and I

Arts Access Aotearoa

Today I met with Arts Access Aotearoa, a fantastic organisation who’s aim is to make the arts available for those who it isn’t readily available for, such as prisoners, people who have learning disabilities, those from areas that don’t have ready access to arts activities etc. They are based in Wellington and have been generous enough to host me for two days here.  Richard Benge who is the Executive Director has planned a fantastic two days for me. I’m particularly lucky to be linked up with him.

One of the aims that they have is to work with the Department of Corrections and set up arts activities within communities as well as linking in with what is happening in prisons, so that when released those who want to can continue with that they have learnt when inside. I think that this is hugely important as whilst in jail there is a very strict structure and regime, when you are released that goes. Often released prisoners find it hard to get work, and some find the sudden change from having a set routine to not having one hard. Therefore, for that reason alone, I think that community arts projects like these would be fantastic, as well as providing all the positives that participation in the arts can provide.

I met with Chris Barrand who is a visual artist, works as a prison art tutor, and at Pablos Art Studio. This is an arts facility for adults with learning disabilities, where they can come in and work on art that is then exhibited in the Roar gallery, which is connected to the studio. The gallery has a big window facing onto the street, so provides the community of Wellington the opportunity to see the art that is being created. I actually had clocked this gallery without realising what it was on my way to the Arts Access offices. One artist had his work picked up by the curator Stuart Shephard and was exhibited all over the world, as part of work created by ‘Outsider’ or as they prefer ‘Self Taught’ artists.

I was then very privileged to meet with Julian Arghanga of Awa Films, who directed the documentary ‘Songs From The Inside’. Since arriving in New Zealand and people asking me what it is I am doing here, they have all mentioned this documentary, and that is not just people who work in prisons or the arts, it’s people I have met in hostels, in a bar etc. This documentary seems to have worked it’s way under the skin of New Zealand, so it was fantastic to meet the man behind it.

The project involved working in Rimutuka and Arohata prisons, Rimutuka is male and Arohata is female. They brought in professional musicians and song writers to help the prisoners write and create music. The philosophy was that everyone has something to say, and now is their opportunity to say it. The process of this was documented into a ten part series and was shown on Maori television, although, as I am increasingly learning, even though something may be celebrating or prioritizing Maori culture, it is by no means exclusive, and is there to be shared. At the end of our meeting Julian gave me the album also called Songs From The Inside, that you can buy, that has the music that the prisoners created, as well as a copy of the documentary, which was hugely generous. I’ve not had time to watch or listen to them yet, but am very excited to do so. It looks like this project will be happening again in Auckland Women’s Prison.

After our meeting with Julian, Richard took me to Arohata Women’s Prison to meet the prison manager (which I think is the New Zealand equivalent of a Governor) Anne Abraham. Anne is inspirational, instead of saying no to things; she does what she can to make things happen. The jail is very calm and a lot of projects get to happen, she was saying that she is currently on the lookout for someone to teach ballroom and someone to teach speech and drama. As mentioned above, this was one of the prisons that Songs From The Inside took place in. I did ask about how the jail managed the end of the project, that it was such a big and amazing thing to have, but what happens after it finishes. It was explained that those involved in the project still have links with the women who have been released, and that they will regularly meet with them, and then, in turn, the released prisoners will often come and visit those who are still inside and pass on news and information, so that they still feel connected. Also, as part of their culture, at the start of the process some of the prisoners would have performed a kapa haka, as a welcome, and then at the end it is performed as a farewell, and to mark the end of a project. Anne compared it to a funeral, a way of morning the end of a project and celebrating it. She then asked if I had ever seen one, which I hadn’t.  There was a group on a drugs awareness course that were graduating the next day, and therefore would be performing a kappa haka (although they were not necessarily part of the prison’s kapa haka group), so she arranged for them to perform what they were going to do tomorrow for us.

I have to say, it was slightly scary, but it was amazing. You can’t perform something like that half-baked; it was performed with confidence, pride and passion. The group who did it were not all Maori either, but it made no difference. We did ask how many of the women knew the songs that they performed before, and only a few of them did. They had been practicing for half an hour three times a week for about two months, which is really impressive. I think what is also great about the kapa haka is that the hard work that they do will pay off as you either get it right, or you don’t, and there is something cool about being part of a group that is able to speak and move as one.

Tomorrow I will be meeting with Sharon Hall who runs the Learning Connextion, which offers distance learning for prisoners, and then I will be visiting the Maori Focus Unit at Rimutaka Prison.

www.artsaccess.org.nz

The link to Songs From The Outside online… They are hoping to get the documentary on RTE in Ireland, hopefully the UK will be next…

http://www.amplifier.co.nz/release/85880/songs-from-the-inside-cd-and-dvd.html?play=85884#item85884

Me with the Arts Access Aotearoa staff, this picture was taken in front of a piece of art  painted by an inmate in Pare.

Julian Arahanga and I

Me and Chris Barrand at Pablos

Anne Abraham and I outside Arohata

Auckland Prison

Today I visited Pare, which is short for Paremoremo, which is the original name for this prison as it is the area it is in. It is now called Auckland Prison, and it has maximum and medium secure halls. There is also a hall that houses prisoners with additional support needs, and those who are mentally ill and have committed a crime.  There is a centre to rehabilitate sex offenders too.  This prison was built in the 1960’s and looks more like a Scottish prison than Spring Hill, although the maximum-security hall is based on Alcatraz.  There are roughly 650 prisoners here.  One thing that did strike me was the lack of windows. There are windows that look into the yard, but none elsewhere.

Again like Spring Hill, participation in work or education is not compulsory. This then means that a lot of the windows that are used for programmes or education are painted over as if prisoners are not at work or education, then they can hang out in the yard, and that used to cause a distraction.

I was able to observe an art class and talk to the art teacher Ellie.  She told me about the incredible work that they do. Every year for the past three years there is an exhibition of prisoners’ art in the Maori Art Centre on the outside, she used to run the organisation, as well as being an artist herself.  These exhibitions are a celebration of community, not just prisoners. The nearby secondary school has a catering unit, so the school provides food, and working on this gives the pupils credits towards qualifications. On the day of the exhibitions the pupils will act as waiters and waitresses. Last year the Prime Minister attended as well as many heavy weights in the arts and political scene, and it is documented and received well by the media.  The paintings are sold, sometimes for up to $2000 as there are a couple of really gifted artists in the prison, and the proceeds are then donated to Victim Support.

There are also exhibitions on the inside, as well as paintings and sculpture being displayed there is poetry, music and Kapa Haka groups perform. Kapa Haka was described to me as Maori Performing Arts, but you do not have to be a Maori to join one of these groups in Pare, something that is encouraged.

Apparently in the past there were several Kapa Haka groups in different wings in the prison and there would be competitions between them.

Pare is very proud of its carving group, where a handful of men will make beautiful wood carvings. The piece that they are currently working on is a commission from Auckland Council; they are making wooden benches to go along a waterfront. The one that they are currently working on is in the memory of a five-year-old girl who died of cancer.  She loved the story of Cinderella, so the back of the bench is carved like a pumpkin and the legs are like horses.  I was able to see drawings of what they plan to make, and it looks amazing. They have special timber imported in from Tonga to make this, and while working on this women are not allowed in the room. It must be covered at all times when it is not being worked on. When they received the wood they had to say a special blessing and the men are not allowed to swear over the wood either.  This is not normal practice for the carving group; it is the first time that they have used wood that demands such rituals.

This is all done by men who are in medium secure halls. Those who are in maximum security have two hours where they are unlocked, some who are very high risk are only allowed out for one hour.  Some in maximum security are allowed access to foundation skills, i.e. literacy and numeracy, and some can apply to do distance learning, but that is it. One of the tutors said that she wouldn’t be keen to work in the maximum-security unit as she felt it was no place for a woman.

I found this to be strange; as the attitude that I had picked up from Spring Hill (although I must stress that Spring Hill does not have a maximum security unit) was that it is better for everyone if a prisoner is active and engaged. Some one else commented that you want to tire prisoners out.  The education options for the medium secure prisoners are fantastic, they can work towards credits that get banked and go towards getting qualifications, which are the same ones that young people in New Zealand work towards at school.  However the maximum-security prisoners don’t get the same access to this.  The New Zealand government are giving a lot of money towards generating arts activities in prison, this has been really pushed over the past three years, as they believe in the good that it can do, and believe that it can aid rehabilitation.  Surely those who are in a maximum-security unit would benefit the most from rehabilitative projects?   Especially if the alternative is sitting in a cell for 22 hours a day.  This is one of the biggest differences between New Zealand and Scotland for me so far.

Gang culture is a bigger problem here, than at home too. On the signs outside the prison that lists banned things for visitors to bring in such as drugs, alcohol, mobile phones, you also cannot bring in anything associated with gangs.  The gangs here are unlike the ones in Scotland and seem to be more like American ones; there are New Zealand versions of the Bloods and the Crips. There are several others and many of the prisoners have gang tattoos, on their faces. I met a man who had a bulldog face on both cheeks and both his hands.  In Scotland you might want to keep it quiet to others that you are in a gang, otherwise you attract police attention; here people literally have it tattooed on their foreheads.

The prisoner that I was talking says that he has now left the gang and is hopeful that the prison will arrange for him to get his tattoos lasered off. This is something that they have started to do.  As I mentioned yesterday, in some cultures children are uprooted quite a lot and go and live with various different family members.  When I worked with gang members in London, many said that being part of a gang was like being in a family, the older boys looked after the younger ones, some even went to their schools if needed pretending to be their Dads.  Perhaps, this is a reason why gang culture is so prevalent here, as people may feel that they don’t have a stable family life, but they have support in their gang, and that is why they are so loyal to them.

My next visit is to Arts Access is Wellington, who are an arts organisation who have lead several projects in the prisons around the country…

Some things don't change...

Today I am off to Pare (pronounced Perry) which is Auckland Prison. It is a maximum security jail, the prison here that is most like Shotts... My old work uniform of jeans, flat boots and long tops is back on... As much as I do miss prison work, I do enjoy being able to wear dresses.

Spring Hill Corrections Facility

Unfortunately I can’t take photos as it is illegal to take photos of a prison site, but I have copied the internet address of this prison at the bottom of this entry…

Today Olivia McCarthy who is the Volunteer Coordinator for two of the prisons in the Northern region took me to Spring Hill Corrections Facility. This prison was built six years ago, and was one of four jails in the country that have built in a similar way. It is a big jail, with 1100 beds; all the cells have bunks (apart from segregation I think.... And I use segregation in the Scottish sense of the word; in New Zealand it would mean protection.)

There are quite a lot of differences between Spring Hill and a Scottish prison, I was very fortunate to be shown around the prison by an officer called Gerry who is a Scottish ex pat, who used to work at Barlinnie. It was fantastic to hear his perspective on the differences between Scotland and New Zealand.

My first observation was that the jail was lovely. The buildings looked great, and it was clean. No graffiti. The staff do keep on top of that and clean it off, but in Scottish prisons there are things carved into tables etc., and this wasn’t the case here. Also, all New Zealand prisons have this year become non-smoking prisons. Prisoners can’t buy tobacco and nobody was smoking. This wasn’t a sudden change, there was about a year lead up to it, and some of the guards decided to quit alongside the prisoners.

The prisoners are in pods; their cells open into an open courtyard, where some were playing basketball when we came in. There is an office for prison officers near the entrance to the pod, and there is a TV room and dining room. The pod that we were in was a low security one, so the prisoners were all unlocked and outside. Despite that it is winter in New Zealand, it is still warm, so it is nice being outside. I was surprised to see prisoners talking to the officers up at the windows of the office. There were quite a few of them having a chat. Gerry pointed out that due to the way this prison is built, the officers do have to interact with the prisoners more than they do in Scotland, which he believes is a positive thing.

Spring Hill is the only prison in New Zealand that has a special Pacific programme for Islanders, and there is a Fale in the grounds of the jail. This is a meeting house that has been built in the traditional style (apart from that it has walls as New Zealand is colder than places like Tonga and Samoa) and they use this building for family integration and cultural activities. Apparently there is always something happening in the Fale every night. All the artwork in the pod and in the Fale is by the prisoners.  There were decoration leaves that had been woven together out of a wicker-like material. This is a traditional craft, but while the men do this, it is also an opportunity to come together and talk. This is one of the ways that they use the arts to rehabilitate.  The arts are very popular, especially those that are related to their culture, and there are many cultures represented in New Zealand prisons, the main two would be Maori and Islander. We saw a prisoner go to a parole hearing and he was wearing a lavalava which is like a wrap. He was wearing a black one, which is formal. Within Spring Hill prisoners have formed bands, usually embracing their heritage and playing songs from their culture, as well as using the performing arts to celebrate holidays and customs etc.

Unlike in Scotland a college doesn’t bid for the contract to provide education, that would be done by Correctional Facility staff, who are not prison officers, but who are employed by the department. This is the largest government department in the country. Literacy and Numeracy and basic IT are more compulsory, and would sit alongside programmes such as Violence Prevention or the Sex Offender Training Programme. Prisoners might need to achieve a certain level in literacy or numeracy to join certain work parties.

The arts and physical training etc. are called Constructive Activities they are not prescribed and are very popular. Unlike in Scotland a prisoner does not have to either work or go to education, however the staff feel that it is their responsibility to motivate the prisoners to do something. To attend would work in their favour, as they would be more likely to be granted parole if they were seen to be using their time positively.

Currently Scotland and New Zealand’s reoffending rate is roughly the same, however the aim is that in 3 years the New Zealand rate will be reduced by at least 5% and it is hopeful that the work that is done to help prisoners discover or re-associate with their cultures and heritage will play a part in bringing this rate down.

Just outside the grounds there are flats where prisoners near the end of their sentence live, four in a flat, it’s a bit like our version of an Open Prison. They go into the Community to work, and are paid a proper wage, which they cannot access until they are released. Therefore some men are leaving jail with $20,000. This means that they have enough money to get accommodation and support themselves. In New Zealand when a prisoner is released they believe that the first 96 hours are vital, and if they are going to reoffend they will do it in that period. In the past they would maybe start preparing for release eight weeks prior to the liberation date, however now they do it years in advance. In certain cultures, there is a bit of displacement with children, they don’t always live with their parents, they are sent to stay with an aunt, then a cousin etc. That is why they find working with the families so important, so they can work on re-establishing bonds, and so the prisoner isn’t going to be released back into the area where they were, and in most cases, where they were part of a gang. They also feel that by connecting with their heritage, they might take more pride in themselves and what they represent.

There is a big difference with the way the prisoners look.  In Scotland many prisoners are drug addicts and are either on drugs or are withdrawing, which affects their physical appearance. In Spring Hill many of the prisoners are big and fit. There is nowhere near the same drug problem. Although in both countries most of the crimes are committed due to being drunk or on drugs, addiction isn’t as a big problem. This could be why there are fewer riots in New Zealand. It could also be that you wouldn’t want to pick a fight with a lot of the prisoners in Spring Hill.

The attitude that the prisoners have to sex offenders in very different, and to protection prisoners in general. In Scotland if you are in protection, you are always in protection (there are a few exceptions to this, when I worked in Shotts I knew of one prisoner who went from protection to mainstream) however in Spring Hill, if you get a gambling debt you might go into protection for a week, then come back into the mainstream and that’s fine. If someone is charged with a sex offense they would be a mainstream prisoner, and they would be fine, which I was very surprised to hear. However, like in Scotland, generally the prisoners who have committed sex offenses are the best behaved.

I asked Gerry what he thinks New Zealand does better, and he felt that the prisoners are kept busier here. The focus on the arts is important because it is therapeutic, it keeps the prisoners busy and engaged, and a big difference seems to be that the New Zealand Government are happy to spend the money to try things out. He said that in Scotland we keep prisoners locked up too long in a day, which leaves them time to think and scheme, where as here they have more to do. That there seems to be the attitude that as long as they are locked up, then it’s fine. He spoke about when he worked in Barlinnie and some prisoners who were high risk of harming themselves got the opportunity to do circus skills. Lots of people questioned why they were doing that, but during that period there was less self-harming happening. However he does think that consistency is important as opposed to just having projects parachute in for 6 weeks.

However, what we do better is that he feels in Scotland the staff have more control in the prisons.

There does seem to be a good attitude over here, that people are willing to try things out. When I heard about the smoking ban, my first thought was there would be no way that would work in Scotland, but that was a lot of people here’s reaction too. The week that it started people were preparing for riots and lockdowns, and it hasn’t happened. It does seem that there is a positive attitude when it comes to trying things out, and ideas and projects are given space. I’m sure not everything does work, but it is great to hear that people want to give it ago.  Gerry mentioned to one of his colleagues about the prison radio project that happens in HMP Greenock, and they are keen to try it out in Spring Hill, so although I am over hear learning about what they are doing, talking to a Scot who has also worked in prisons reminded him about prison radio, so it would be great if my visit inspired a wee project in a New Zealand jail too!

http://www.corrections.govt.nz/utility-navigation/find-a-facility-or-site/find_a_corrections_facility/spring-hill-corrections-facility-shcf.html