Tauranga: Number of offenders with ‘no fixed abode’ serving sentences in the community revealed

The Department of Corrections says it treats public safety as a priority as it confirms 55 criminals serving sentences in Tauranga have ‘no fixed abode’. Photo / Greg Bowker

Fifty-five criminals serving sentences in the Tauranga and Te Puke communities have “no fixed abode”, records show, including nine assessed as having a medium to high risk of reoffending.

Department of Corrections figures obtained by the Bay of Plenty Times reveal that of the 55, seven have been released from prison with conditions. Three of these were reporting to Corrections centres based in Tauranga city, one to Mount Maunganui/Pāpāmoa, and three to Te Puke.

The rest were serving community sentences such as intensive supervision, community work, or a sentence with conditions after electronically monitored home detention - as ruled by the courts.

The Department of Corrections, however, says “no fixed abode” does not necessarily mean “homeless”.

The latest data showed as of October 31, there were nine offenders with no fixed abode serving a community sentence of “intensive supervision” in and around Tauranga. According to Corrections, intensive supervision targets offenders who are assessed as being of medium to high risk of reoffending; convicted of more serious offences; and who have complex and/or severe rehabilitative needs. Such supervision can last from six months to two years.

There were nine doing community work and 30 on supervision.

Department of Corrections district manager Mark Cleaver said as of October 31, there was no one on parole or serving an electronically monitored sentence with “no fixed abode” in Tauranga. Offenders must have served at least two years to be eligible for parole and each of the seven offenders released from prison had served fewer than that.

Cleaver said the department did not decide who was in the community and who was in prison. The courts and the New Zealand Parole Board determined sentence and condition decisions; Corrections was responsible for reintegrating and rehabilitating offenders into the community safely, and ensuring they comply with any conditions imposed.

“On release from prison, the vast majority of people return home to family or make their own arrangements about where to live, or have provided... a release plan (including a proposed address).”

While some offenders had “no fixed abode” this did “not necessarily mean someone is homeless” as it could involve people staying in temporary accommodation with family or friends, Cleaver said.

Corrections staff helped others to try to find somewhere to live, sometimes with help from social service agencies, he said.

“Even if a person doesn’t have a specific condition as to where they must live, our probation officers will provide a range of support to help people comply with their sentence and live crime-free.

“Public safety is our top priority.

“We fully acknowledge that the location of offenders can be a concern for communities, and we work hard to balance this concern with our obligation to safely manage people in the community,” Cleaver said.

“We would always encourage anyone with any concerns about how we manage people in the community to contact their local community corrections office so our staff can talk them through the work we do and the steps we take to keep our communities safe.”

Te Tuinga Whanau Support Services Trust director Tommy Wilson. Photo / Andrew Warner

Tauranga social service agency Te Tuinga Whānau regularly worked with newly-released prisoners.

Executive director Tommy Wilson said his service helped provide accommodation for people who were non-violent and recently released from prison, and they are keen to help more.

“It saves the Crown about $170,000 a year to have them out, those non-violent offenders. Then they are with their families, and their families have got their dad with them. That’s got a huge benefit to the community and helps keep families together,” he said.

“They are no danger to the community.”

Wilson said some people released from prison, particularly violent offenders, struggled to reintegrate into the community and resorted to crime for survival, or ended up on the streets.

He said it was hard to get them on the benefit and many resorted to committing crime again to survive.

“That’s why we are seeing an increase in crime; it’s intergenerational poverty manifesting itself. That’s what these stats have to tell us.”

Wilson said reintegration and reconnection were critical for recently-released prisoners.

Of Te Tuinga Whānau’s clientele, 90 per cent were Māori and 70 per cent of these were not from Tauranga.

“Most of ours are Māori who have come here to get away from gang violence, abuse, etc. They have no [family or iwi] support,” Wilson said.

Homelessness data released last month via the Tauranga City Council showed an increase in the number of people sleeping rough and complaints made to the council about homeless people.

Wilson agreed there was an increase in demand on the social services sector from homeless people or those in between homes.

Tauranga charity Under the Stars, which feeds homeless people each Saturday, also experienced an increase in demand in recent years.

Operations manager Laura Wood said it now fed 60 to 70 people a week, compared to the 10 to 15 when it began eight years ago.

Tauranga has a total of 68 family services, including 24 food, shelter and clothing services and 14 family whānau support services.