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Abstract
There are a variety of programmes available that seek to help released offenders avoid recidivism in New Zealand. Despite good intentions, and an often cited concern first mooted by Martinson (1974) that 'nothing works', it is important to identify what varieties of support and methods of rehabilitation are actually effective in reducing reoffending. The data used in this article are drawn from the first five years of the Pathway Total Reintegration Strategy. This programme offers a variety of services organised around a core of social work support, and shows early evidence of success. Quantitative data measuring the 12-month recidivism rates of programme graduates show that reoffending was markedly better than overall reoffending data. Qualitative data from interviews with 12 Pathway clients illuminated what elements of the programme contributed to this success, and how. The key finding drawn from these interviews was that although many different services were valued by individual participants depending on their individual needs, it was the consistent and highly individualised social work support that was found to be crucial among all participants.
Keywords: Reintegration, offenders, New Zealand, Program evaluation
Pathway Total Reintegration Strategy
The Pathway Reintegration programme (run by the Pathway Charitable Group, henceforth PCG) is a programme that seeks to successfully reintegrate prisoners back into society. This programme is based around individualised social work support and counselling as well as assisting clients with employment, accommodation and other practical support. It is run in Canterbury, New Zealand, and takes clients from the two local men's prisons.
The reintegration programme lasts a total of eight months, made up of two months of assessment before the client is released and six months of targeted work of varying intensity after release. Contact after this period continues as necessary, with many clients remaining in contact with the organisation long after they have formally 'graduated'. At present the programme is run only with male offenders, who make up over 93 percent of New Zealand's prison population. This programme has been operating since 2008, and the data for this study was collected in 2013. Pathway began with one full-time social worker and with a second joining in 2011 (after this study was completed, a third was also added). In order to determine how effective this service...