Narratives of Four Māori Ex-Inmates About Their Experiences and Perspectives of Rehabilitation Programmes

Abstract

Māori are overrepresented in the criminal justice system in Aotearoa New Zealand. Māori offenders comprise 53% of those serving custodial sentences and 48% serving community-based sentences. The majority of Māori offenders reoffended within 2 years of serving their sentence. A number of programmes aimed at reducing recidivism among Māori have been implemented, and there is considerable debate around the effectiveness of these programmes. This qualitative study focuses on the narratives of four Māori male ex-inmates about their reoffending and their experiences of the rehabilitation programmes during their incarceration. Using a narrative approach, the study sought to hear the shared stories from the men and to determine what they believe would have reduced their reoffending. The stories revealed that a lack of financial resources and gang connections influenced reoffending; the value of prison rehabilitation programmes varied depending on their appropriateness to the inmate and to their intended outcomes; and healing programmes incorporating kaupapa Māori principles and practices assisted the participants in understanding their cultural heritage and communicating with society in more acceptable ways.

Māori Men’s Experiences of Rehabilitation in the Moana House Therapeutic Community in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A Qualitative Enquiry

“…Some of the similarities found between the present study and international research were related to providing culturally relevant services that are specific to indigenous populations and ethnic minorities (Gowing et al, 2002). There are also commonalities between the present study and research regarding the rehabilitation of people from the indigenous Māori population of Aotearoa/New Zealand (Kapuaahiwalani-Fitzsimmons, 2015; Kupenga-Wanoa, 2004; C. Nakhid & Shorter, 2014; Singh & White, 2000; Terrill & Robertson, 2014; Treharne & Nicolson, 2014).…”

“…Māori culture is highly collectivist and is organised around iwi (tribes), hapū (subtribes), and whānau (broad family units; Smith, 2012). Māori culture has been eroded under colonialism (Smith, 2012), and Māori men and women are overrepresented in prison statistics (see Nadesu, 2009; C. Nakhid & Shorter, 2014; New Zealand Department of Corrections, 2009).…”

“…Byers (2002) reported that Māori inmates had an increased sense of pride and identity after participating in Māori Focus Units. C. Nakhid and Shorter (2014) explored experiences of rehabilitation in an interview study with four Māori men.…”

The Youth Guarantee Education Initiative and Its Impact on Criminality: Māori Youth Perceptions

“…First, the study used a small sample. Purposive sampling was used as it was the most appropriate method to gain the sample needed which was relevant to the study’s aims (Nakhid and Shorter, 2014). The trade-off is that a small sample cannot be representative of the wider population of young Māori who are disengaged from education.…”

“…Storytelling has always been the means in which Māori have sustained and protected their knowledge over generations (Lee, 2009) and narrative interviewing is a method frequently employed by researchers working with Māori (Bishop et al, 2009; Hollis et al, 2011; Kidman, 2015; Myftari, 2015; Nakhid and Shorter, 2014). Each of the participants’ narratives was collected via individual interviews conducted by the D.P., who is of Ngati Kahungungu and Ngati Tuhoe descent.…”