He rerenga korero/Social comment

Tu Tangata, Issue 13, 1 August 1983, Page 12

He rerenga korero/Social comment

‘‘Lookin out from the inside to the outside, cell 83, 12 stars east wing holiday parade resort. Before going into details I better introduce myself, a lot of visitors to Paparua inn, some known to me and some unknown, call me colourful names, the imprisoned saint, uncle Ressy Arikinui, King Aloha Kamehameha, Tohunga, the magic power of the divine father aroha aloha village Christchurch.

My aim and objective is to gather news within the prison and to communicate with people out in the so-called world of freedom, hassles, and hang ups etc, instead of inviting the public into Paparua institution for a peep. I have decided to scribble down notes and give the public a dose of what goes on behind the stonewalls and iron bars grills of Paparua within, better known Paparua prison on the Main South Road 15 miles from Christchurch, 2 miles from Templeton junction, out in the country.

Paparua prison was built in 1925 by the criminals to accommodate 200 prisoners, and with the stones taken out of the prison quarry and with hammers and chisels the prisoners shaped the stones into square blocks the size of a box. Men, under the watchful eyes of the wardens, now called officers, supervising the job, stone mason trade men with years of experience.

1981 a new administration block was built joining onto the old stone building taking two years to complete. Quite nice inside the visiting hall, floor carpets, table, chairs. The hall can be used for concert, entertaining shows etc the visiting hours Saturday 9to 11am and 2 to 4pm and the P.A.S. Prison Aid Society supply free cups of tea or coffee for the visitors and prisoners for distant visitors relatives, friends and sweethearts during the week days a special visit can be arranged and approved by the superintendant.

The old stone building’s beautiful character stands out like a light-house from the new building that looks plain, no character, just a new modern building.

The old stone house, a show place eye-catcher for the visitors there are three wings, west wing 3rd class for the newish prisoners, 2 pisspots, 1 prisoner allowed 5 blankets 2 sheets, pillow. The sheets and pillow case sent to the laundry once a week to be washed and returned spotless, mirrors in each cell.

Breakfast, dinner and tea, stand at your door for parade call, move along to the servery, pick up a tray with your food returning to your cell for lock up, you are given half an hour to eat your meal then unlock, put your tray outside your door.

Lock up, while the cleaners collect all dirty dishes, wash up, then unlock for work parade falling in on the parade yard at Bam, each man falling into their respective place of work. Some work out on the farm, painting gang, woodchopping gang, repairing gang, tractor drivers, rubbish truck collector, drain gang, garden gang, upholstery workshop gang, furniture workshop gang, metal workshop gang, kitchen workers, dish washers, administration workers, cleaners, etc.... All the gangs working outside the prison are brought in by the officer in charge of the gang and all gangs are checked in at 11am, lunch at 11.30, west wing are locked in their cells, unlocked at Ipm for work parade check out gangs at 1.15 pm and check gang in at 3.30 pm, prisoners return to their respective wings for showers change into clean recreation gears ready for tea at 4pm in the west wing parade.

Personnel one have to do 3 months before allowed out into the wing to watch TV, play billiards or table tennis. Evening recreation unlock spm, until 8.30 pm lock up for the night until unlock 7am next morning then go through the same routine every day. The meals are edible, the west wing can accommodate up to 130 guests after 3 months with good behaviour you move into the centre wing the 2nd class 8 stars resort, the routine the same as the west wing and the only change in the system, you have your meals in the dining room like a restaurant, 4 to a table pick up a plate the servery staff dish up what you want to eat, free tucker for the taking.

Ist class east wing, if you want a transfer into the special wing you have to apply to the east wing divisional officer in charge, the inmates are screened, attitude, approach, behaviour are taken into consideration, 1 to a cell, toilet, desk, seat, cupboard, table, centrally heated. The newys call it a home away from home, everything bar the wife and the kids Paparua prison is for VIP guests only, a very special place for very special people as guests to the taxpayer and the government, some of the newys call it a paradise holiday resort and relaxation. The old laggers disagree and call it colourful names.

The newys learn the trade about doing hot jobs, safe blowing, busting etc, when regaining freedom, the new laggers start practising what they learnt from the old laggers, because the prisoners think that society is responsible for ripping them off, society rejecting them. It is hard for ex-prisoners to get jobs. Naturally prisoners have to live the same as any citizen because what they did was wrong.

Society should give the prisoners a chance to start afresh in life giving prisoners another chance, you do very little for society if you isolate and lock away offenders. Prison fellowship members Peter Blaxall and Barry Botherway who arrange visits for prisoners while in prison, arrange a place and a job to go to when release comes.

They believe in giving these men the opportunity to develop themselves and find some direction in life.

If you lock people away and treat them harshly, they’re going to be released as pretty harsh sort of people nearly half the prison inmates in New Zealand are Maoris.

What are the Maori four members of parliament doing, can they do something to help these young offenders before its too late. An old saying you can change anyones lifestyle and provide them with the opportunity, putting offenders in jail you do very little for society and cost society SIB,OOO a year to keep a prisoner in prison.”

A hunched figure shuffles into the reception room.

Head down watching leaden feet, a name plus a few particulars are mumbled with little conviction. A hesitant stop-start stumbling gives way twitching nerves.

The figure moves on, going through the motions of entry mechanically, looking as if he has done it before and expects to do it again pretty soon.

A well-hardened expression sets his features, hiding all thoughts.

One wonders at his age, probably drawing a blank.

One wonders too at the thoughts behind the mask, probably able to make a good guess with the majority insecurity, fear and helplessness at the least.

One could look even futher and come up with a whole barrage of typically inherent points of concern; stripped selfesteem, stripped self-respect, low morale, low expectations, and it goes on.

For the new entrant and for those he

will be with for the next few weeks, months or years, these root grey-area matters, so far, still remain intellectual fodder...

The reception room: Waikeria Youth Detention Centre.

The hunched figure: Any one of its largely transient inmates.

The poor self-image and esteem attitude amongst the centre’s inmates has become the focal point for a pilot scheme which could, if successful, see a marked decline in reoffending rates at the institution.

A cultural advisor, merely a convenient official tag, has been appointed to the centre in an effort to raise the low inmate morale and carry it on after release.

The new innovation, brainchild, of now retired Justice secretary John Robertson, is part of the positive moves being made currently in penal reform. And if successful at Waikeria, the scheme will be implanted in other youth

institutions then finally in the major prisons.

Bearing the breakthrough measure burden as the appointed advisor, is Tom Winitana, a behind-the-scene type catalyst.

Seated in this spartan, old-styled office, the still black-haired 50-year-old seems out of place, even uncomfortable in his four-walled surroundings.

Deeply etched lines and calloused looking hands further back up the impression.

Not mixing words, he gives the official line; “We work on the assumption that if we can help these boys discover themselves as people then maybe it is a way of helping them to identify and associate with groups outside the centre which cater for some of the things we have taught them.

“If the identity is established he can then get to like himself better as a person and contribute to society in a more positive and acceptable way.”

Few qualifications

As good as the ideal sounds, he realises his job is a tough one calling for perhaps unorthodox treatment to achieve results. He knows it involves “feeling the way through” rather than any sort of officious table-talking.

He explains his credentials for the job, making it easy to see why he was selected as advisor.

He has few white paper qualifications and much of his early days were spent wherever money could be made.

Born and bred in Tuhoe-land {Urewera Bush) his Maoriness is instinctive, his knowledge of its mechanics, extensive.

This, he says, is important because although the cultural umbrella is open to all inmates, the emphasis is on the Maori offender due to his high rate of re-offending.

About 70 per cent of the centre’s population is Maori, and of the 340 inmates, about 220 those under 20-years-of-age are dealt with by Mr Winitana.

“We have to help all the boys identify with the race they belong to culturally.

“Our emphasis is on Maori offenders because of the high incidence in prision and the high re-offending rate. If others want to be involved, that’s fine, because they are all New Zealanders anyway.”

Speaking in retrospect, Mr Winitana reassesses his role, explaining it without the frills.

“Basically we have been given a person badly shaped by society with all the negative things. We have to remould them and try to bring to life the person they could be make human beings out of them.”

“This has to be done within the

limitations and restrictions of the prison knowing that in many cases the inmates have been committing crimes all their lives,” he says. To instill some sense of worth, Mr Winitana has returned to basics, encouraging maximum cultural involvement, whether it be language, philosophy or the haka team.

“The haka is a physical and psychological way of releasing pent up feelings and energies. Most of the guys are angry young men with no way of showing how they feel.”

Already, in the six months he has been in the job, differences in attitudes have emerged.

“When you see these guys in the team (haka) they are totally different from when they are on the floor (cells). They are alive, have a lot of energy, and hold themselves up with pride.”

Team and individual discipline is constantly emphasised.

Peer pressure also pushes each one to excell, further enhancing the feeling of self-worth.

Formal Maori language classes, using the new “rakau” system of teaching are also available. Students are taught the language through the use of different pieces of coloured wood.

Courses are also offered in carpentry, driving, joinery, decorating, welding, remedial reading, human relations and liberal studies.

Complementary work between teachers, division officers and officers sustain inmates in and out of classes.

A cultural centre, an exercise yard completely refurbished at a cost of about SII,OOO, has also been established. Crafts such as carving, weaving and basketmaking a*'e held there.

The carving classes take care of the artistic flair, often inherent in many of the inmates, but never expressed he says.

Express emotion

“Once they learn the basics of the art then the imagination begins to over take. Again, they begin to develop themselves.”

He says carving’s importance lies in its use, in a positive manner, as a communicative skill which many inmates lack.

“Part of the problem with their selfimage is that they have poor communicaiton skills and are afraid to open up to anyone. Expressing these emotions, through whatever means, is very important.”

To that end, the cultural and educational activities work hand in hand, each one reinforcing the other.

Senior education officer at the centre, Abraham De Veer, endorses Mr Winitana’s beliefs, saying the low-

esteem problem must be faced on as many fronts as possible. He maintains under achievement in language, a common element amongst all inmates, is one of the basics of their criminal behaviour.

“Their true feelings and emotions are suppressed because they can’t talk with anyone about it. The peers are not able to offer support because they are in the same position.

“For these guys the caring society does not exist. They have been rejected all their lives and very few have taken the time to say I care.”

He believes the main break-down in communication is within the education system where many “problem” children go through the ranks without being picked up.

“The New Zealand education system is good by world standards, but I think that our programmes, for 60 per cent of our children, are adequate. But what happens to the remainder.”

He says at least 30 per cent of pupils know they will not be sitting senior level examinations, as soon as they reach the third form. Yet, they are forced to stay at school because of statutory requirements.

He asks why these students the future drop-outs inevitably leading to unemployment cannot be offered practical training courses similar to those undertaken within the youth institution.

“In this way he could hopefully contest with those who pass examinations.”

Mr Winitana takes this angle further, believing his role within the prison is only corrective and not preventive as it should be.

To be preventive, the concept must be worked into the system “outside” he says.

“Things are working back to front. The (inmates) should have had these feelings such as dignity and pride instilled on the outside.”

To do this would be easy in concept but hard in reality, he admits, although still ready to offer an answer but wondering who would kick-start it into action.

“The onus must fall back on Maori people themselves. The Marae is the simple answer and a move towards cooperative living as it was in the past, could be introduced.”

He says it is ludicrous that $200,000 can be spent on setting a marae up, when all some are ever used for is the tangi and weddings.

“We have been building memorials to ourselves, while our kids fall by the wayside.”

He hits out hard at Maori organisations who have become more concerned

with “things” rather than people.

“The Maori must take care of his own. Who else is going to do it,” he asks.

Maori organisations and marae play a vital role in the through-care programme currently being put together by the centre.

Vital link

“This is the vital link in the whole process. Without it, my work here cannot succeed.”

The first to sixth week after release, is the most important time for inmates, as it tells whether the work in prison has been of any effect.

“The various organisations are asked to provide channels to ensure the released inmates have outlets for their energies.”

A caring base as provided by solid support is the other important aspect he says.

One of the concerns after release, is the influence of the gangs in attracting inmates back, often leading to criminal activity.

Mr Winitana says the same influence can be felt within the institution and sometimes it can lead to problems.

“Many of the inmates have gang affiliations which are somtimes contrary to what we are trying to get across to them. However, rather than fight them, it’s best that we work in with it in a supportive sort of way.”

In assessing the success of the scheme so far, Mr Winitana refers to inmate reaction.

“The inmates react positively when they are treated like human beings. I am not concerned with the crimes they have committed, only with their future and identity. If they start smiling, holding their heads high and looking you straight in the eye, then that must mean some sort of success. The crunch will come when the incidence of reoffending is checked.”

Waikeria superintendent Ron Meagher refers to the in-built difficulties in trying to foster positive attitudes within a penal institution in summing up.

“It has been said, how can you train a person to be on time without giving him the opportunities of being late? Similarly it is clearly a problem to train an inmate to fit into the normal society within the confines of the unnatural captive society.

“I see this new concept as a definite aid in our work. From this I’m hoping to build understanding by everyone, with everyone, in here and out there.”