Financial Assistance for Released Prisoners - An Evaluation of the Pilot Programme at Paparua Prison, October to December 1983

• NCJ Number: 95606
• Author(s): P Oxley
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 98 pages
• Corporate Author: New Zealand Dept of Justice
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: New Zealand
• Note: Study Series number 13

Annotation

Findings and recommendations are presented from a study of a program at New Zealand's Paparua Prison, designed to provide a 'realistic' amount of money to meet the financial needs of those released from prison.

Abstract

Other goals of the pilot program were to reduce the incidence of reoffending immediately following release, to reduce the frustration experienced by released prisoners, and to reduce the problems Department of Social Welfare staff have in dealing with released prisoners. Pilot prisoners differed significantly from nonpilot prisoners in amount of time between release and unemployment benefit application; the median for pilot prisoners was 19 days before release compared with 1 day after release for nonpilot prisoners. They also differed in the time between release and first unemployment benefit and in the amount of the first special needs grant. The two groups did not differ significantly in the amount of money in hand as they left the prison or in the amount of the first unemployment payment. The amount of money the prisoners had was measured against four standards, including the unemployment benefit rate and the financial position of nonpilot prisoners. In no case did the amount meet the standard. Sixteen percent of the pilot prisoners reoffended within 4 weeks of release; the reoffenders did not have significantly less money than those who did not reoffend. Other financial assistance projects are reviewed, and recommendations for such projects are offered. A 24-item bibliography, 38 tables, and 4 appendixes are included.