8 November 2019

Policing Strategy Co-Designed & Led by Māori A Shift for theBetter

Within the last 24 hours the New Zealand Police have launched, ‘Te Huringa o Te Tai’ A Whānau Ora Crime and Crash Prevention Strategy as part of its vision for reducing offending by 25 percent by 2025.

“Achieving that target will take a continuing commitment to co-designing initiatives in partnership with Māori. We're excited about the possibility of showcasing Māori initiatives that work,” says our General Manager Whānau Services, Iri Mako.

“One such community-based initiative is Te Pae Oranga Iwi & Community Panels which has reduced reoffending by 11 percent using a restorative justice approach.”

The new national strategy in service delivery is a significant shift for the better. Data shows interventions designed with and led by Māori ork for not only Māori, but for everyone.

Five years ago the Manukau Urban Māori Authority was one of the first pilot sites to implement Te Pae Oranga. The restorative justice based programme involving Kaumatua now manages all sorts of cases beyond Māori offenders due to its consistent success rate.

"We want initiatives like this that are lead and co-designed by Māori. One of the key reasons that Te Pae Oranga works is because of the approach used that links through to Whānau Ora which provides wraparound services and support to all those involved – not just those that experienced harm, but those that harm too.”

“That’s one of the reasons why there are incredible outcomes,” Mako says. “There is a focus on putting plans in place that reduce the possibility of reoffending.”

For the past decade MUMA has been involved in restorative justice. It holds two Te Pae Oranga Iwi & Community Panels per week. There are 15 operating throughout the country.

For more information go to: https://www.muma.co.nz/mau-te-rongo

ENDS

© Scoop Media