0
0
The Department of Corrections is failing to prevent young prisoners from joining gangs, a report has found.
The report, Young people and young adults in Corrections’ custody, includes 26 recommendations, all of which Corrections has accepted in principle.
It called for a gang management plan to take into account young people’s vulnerability and susceptibility to harmful influences in prison.
“Around half of those under 25 in prison have a recorded gang affiliation – and this rises to 80 percent for 18-year-olds,” Corrections’ chief inspector Janis Adair said.
“Young people in mainstream high security units told us it’s difficult to avoid gang influences and intimidation. Many said connecting with gangs helped give them a sense of identity and belonging. Many were from gang-entrenched families, where violence, drugs and alcohol were the norm – but some wanted to change that.”
The inspection was conducted across all 18 New Zealand prisons between September 2023 and July 2024. More than 200 young people were interviewed, as well as staff, experts from New Zealand and overseas, lawyers, and people who had turned their lives around after being in the criminal justice system.
Average Rating