The Anglican Bishop of Wellington has begun a week-long vigil in a small cabin to draw attention to penal reform.
Bishop Justin Duckworth prepares to enter the prayer cell. Photo: REV JAYSON RHODES
This week, the Church is focusing on prisoner rehabilitation and how to stop reoffending with alternatives other than prison.
From Sunday, Bishop Justin Duckworth will live in the cabin on the steps of the Cathedral of St Paul as the church prays for the more than 8000 New Zealand prisoners and for victims.
The Church says the vigil is not a protest against current policies but the Bishop says there are alternatives to prison that are often more effective at reducing crime.
He says a 'locking up' approach does not address factors that drive crime nor the need to reintegrate prisoners into society.
The bishop says society needs to ask itself if it wants a system that simply punishes, or one that changes behaviour and reduces reoffending.
