Sergeant Karen Vaughan from Porirua District Court
For several years a pilot youth justice initiative has been running in Porirua, is to be replicated in Gisborne and Hamilton, and then nationwide. It is unique to NZ and has attracted a lot of interest from overseas.
Who knew? Well, we do now, since Sergeant Karen Vaughan addressed us last evening. She is the police prosecutor in the Porirua District Court, following a career in which she was involved in a string of high-profile cases, including child abuse and family violence.
The pilot stems from unease among some judges that young offenders’ lives can become blighted after they are convicted of relatively minor offences. Cognitive development is not complete until age 25 or so, and many offenders in the youth court have just been thoughtless or foolish. They could, with help, go on to lead productive lives. The key is to discharge them without conviction under section 106, under certain conditions.
The offenders must be under 25, and agree to a follow a personal plan which might involve education, training (eg defensive driving), counselling, and community work.
The rationale is that intervention, prevention, and integration back into the community benefits everyone.
The pilot has been running for over 2 years, during which time there have been 500 cases in the pilot programme, and recidivism is less than 1%.
We should follow the fortunes of this pilot closely. It is an alternative to the ‘lock ‘em up’ policy which often finds popular support in NZ, and if it works across the board, we will all profit by it.
Poll: Are our Kiwi summer holidays helping us recharge, or holding the economy back? ☀️🥝
There’s growing debate about whether New Zealand’s extended Christmas break (and the slowdown that comes with it) affects productivity.
Tracy Watkins has weighed in ... now it’s your turn. What’s your take? 🤔
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72.9% We work hard, we deserve a break!
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16.1% Hmm, maybe?
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11% Yes!
Secure your homes over summer
Police are reminding people to keep their homes secure during the summer months.
Inspector Glenda Barnaby, Christchurch Area Prevention manager, says daytime burglaries are just as common as nightime burglaries.
“Burglaries can be committed at any time of the day, and coming into warmer months there is more opportunity for thieves."
"Although a majority of burglaries involve forced entry through windows and doors, we are starting to see more incidents at insecure premises. Police deal with cases where burglaries are committed in broad daylight, sometimes even while the victim is at home. Good weather means open doors and windows, which makes homes more vulnerable to burglars.”
Inspector Barnaby says there’s a few things people can do to reduce their changes of a burglary being committed.
⚠️ If you’re going outside for gardening, relaxing in the sun, or working in the garage, take a moment to lock your doors and secure your windows first.
⚠️ Do the same at night when you go to bed - keep your doors and windows secure and close your curtains. Fitting window stays means you can get a breeze coming through, while keeping your windows secure.
⚠️ Get to know your neighbours - let them know if you’re going away and look out for one another.”
If you see any suspicious activity, people or vehicles in your neighbourhood, don't hesitate to contact Police.
If you witness or suspect any illegal activity, please call 111 if it is happening now, or make a report through 105 either online or over the phone, if it is after the fact.
Brain Teaser of the Day 🧠✨ Can You Solve It? 🤔💬
How many balls of string does it take to reach the moon?
(Peter from Carterton kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Peter!)
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!
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