Media Release
15 December 2000
CRIMINALS CAN MEND THEIR WAYS
Experience gained from the first 12 months of trialling new offender help called Turnaround Waimakariri has achieved
outstanding success and is a credit to those involved claimed Ron Mark MP and spokesman for Law and Order for New
Zealand First.
“With the benefit of this valuable experience and very successful outcome Turnaround can be recommended for extension to
other areas within New Zealand,” said Mr Mark.
“Turnaround has been trialled in 3 pilot areas of Timaru, Waitakere and Waimakariri. The Waimakariri result with which I
am most familiar, was greater than may have anticipated with a low re-offending rate of just 3.6%. This holds tremendous
hope for the future of many thousands of young New Zealanders.
“I commend Mr John Banks, Turnaround Co-ordinator for Waimakariri, and his team for their remarkable success and their
dogged determination to take on such onerous tasks I also urge the Police Minister, Hon George Hawkins, and his Justice
colleague, Hon Phil Goff to find the funding to expand the programme as quickly as possible,” concluded Mr Mark.
Ends.