Prisoners’ aid group appeals for gifts

Press, 8 December 1987, Page 9

Prisoners’ aid group appeals for gifts

Christmas was not a happy time for prisoners’ families who were often living in poverty and felt alienated from society, said members of the Christchurch Prisoners’ Aid and Rehabilitation Society yesterday. The society is appealing to the spirit of Christchurch people to give food parcels and toys to be distributed to needy families. “Families who have a fellow inside feel ashamed and alienated from their neighbourhood, and so rarely share what is going on for them, because they do not want people to know,” said one member, Ms Pat McGuinness. The society has at least 50 families on its “books,” but expected many more

people to walk in off the streets nearer Christmas, she said. Ms McGuinness said it was grateful for the support of the Save the Children Fund and Rotary in previous years, but as the economic situation had worsened, so had the number of needs of poor people. Providing support for families of prisoners was “ultimately a community responsibility,” although emotional support was needed just as much as practical support, she said. Another society member, Mr Ray Scott, said the level of poverty in New Zealand was much higher than people thought. It was not unusual for him to find two families

living together in an attempt to make ends meet. “I had trouble finding the address of one family once. After driving up and down the street a few times, I realised two families were living together in a garage.” Mr Billy Kanara said the society was constantly being asked to provide* “basic needs” for families, as “people getting out did not want to deal, with the Social Welfare Department or the Probation Service. They just wanted to forget their experiences. Ms McGuinness said the society saw a “lot of young people with potential who just needed some support and attention.” “If society could show some concern, then the crime rate would go down."