New Community Corrections site opened

Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today officially opened the new Community Corrections site in Palmerston North.

The new building is part of a $70 million nationwide renewal programme to make Community Corrections sites more secure and better equipped to support offenders to turn their lives around.

“The new site has two key focus areas. The first is to create a safer environment for both staff and visitors. The second is to give offenders the best possible support which will help our government’s goal of reducing reoffending by 25 per cent by 2017,” Mr Lotu-liga says.

The building brings staff from three different sites under one roof. Close to 100 staff now work from the new $4.7 million fit-for-purpose facility.

The site manages more than 930 offenders on community-based sentences and orders including home detention and community work.

Community Corrections manages offenders to hold them to account to comply with their sentences and orders, reduce their likelihood of reoffending, help them become productive members of society and keep local communities safe.