Photo: AFP
A pilot programme helping prisoners set up bank accounts before they're released from prison has been so successful it's been rolled out to all of the country's corrections facilities.
The New Start scheme, a collaboration between Westpac and the Department of Corrections, helps set prisoners up with a valid ID, a debit card and access to online banking by the time they're released.
The scheme is the first of its kind in New Zealand and aims to help prisoners reintegrate into the community. Prison reform groups such as the Howard League are welcoming the initiative as a way to reduce recidivism by providing people with the practical tools they need to get a job or a benefit.
Lynn discusses the project with Darius Fagan, General Manager for Case Management and Probation at the Department of Correction and Mike Williams, chief executive of the Howard League.
