Prisons need to shift from punishment to rehabilitation

The Hawke's Bay prison director says a new plan to treat inmates with respect and focus on rehabilitation is not about going soft on crime. Leonie Aden is backing Hokai Rangi, the new Corrections strategy aimed at bringing Maori values into prisons, and focusing on the humanity and dignity of those in the care of the department. She has worked in Corrections for 27 years and says a traditionally punitive approach is not working for everyone. Mrs Aden took RNZ's Maori news correspondent Leigh-Marama McLachlan through the prison and told her the new strategy is well overdue.