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Weekly Media Roundup

June 15, 2018 at 1:03 PM

Tackling youth crime: Intervening earlier is better

The scientific evidence for keeping young people out of prison was clear 20 years ago, but not enough has been done.

Justice sector science advisor Dr Ian Lambie's just released report recommends the adoption of what's called "development crime prevention" to reduce rates of youth crime by focusing on children from an early age and previous generations.

The report said New Zealand had a record high overall prison population, but the number of children and young people under 24 in the criminal justice system had fallen.

For decades, New Zealand research has shown how childhood factors can influence young offending and imprisonment as an adult.

Dr Lambie said the prevention message, arguing for earlier intervention in schools and in homes, was clear 20 years ago.

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Office of PM's Chief Science Advisor argues for developmental crime prevention model for young offenders

Childhood trauma, school failure and antisocial peers are fertile breeding grounds for turning youths into criminals.
 
Now a new report on youth crime is urging the Government to adopt a fresh mode, focusing on a "developmental crime prevention" model.

Also highlighted as risk factors to push young people into crime include poverty, violence, having parents in prison, undiagnosed mental and substance-use disorders, and lack of attachment to homes, communities and people.  

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Commission welcomes progress on family violence legislation

Press Release: Human Rights Commission

Human Rights Commission welcomes progress on family violence legislation

The Human Rights Commission welcomes the support shown in Parliament last night for legislation that would see family violence policies introduced in New Zealand workplaces.

“This is an idea whose time has come,” says Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Dr Jackie Blue as Parliament passed the second reading of the Domestic Violence - Victims’ Protection Bill.

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Investing within the workplace to break the cycle of family violence

The Domestic Violence (Victims' Protection) Bill currently before Parliament presents an opportunity to bring about some of the most significant social change in New Zealand since the introduction of universal suffrage in 1893. And it's good for business.

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Man, 31, charged with murder after baby boy dies from head injuries in Upper Hutt

A man charged with the murder of a five-month-old baby boy has been granted interim name suppression.

The child received serious head injuries at a house in Upper Hutt and died in Wellington Hospital on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old man has been remanded in custody until his next appearance in the High Court in July.

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Elder abuse often linked to loneliness and isolation: Age Concern Nelson Tasman

Loneliness and isolation are common denominators in many cases of elder abuse, says Age Concern Nelson Tasman.

Elder abuse response services adviser Mal Drummond said some abusers targeted vulnerable older people.

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World Elder Abuse Day to raise awareness of harm caused to older people

Age Concern Wanganui says elder abuse is happening in plain sight in Whanganui and it's on the rise.

Today is Elder Abuse Day and the Office for Seniors as well as Age Concern are trying to raise awareness around the issue.

Age Concern Wanganui manager Tracy Lynn described elder abuse as an insidious and growing problem.

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Big Read: Auckland builder jailed for rape five years after attack on unconscious girl at party

This story is about rape. It may be confronting or upsetting - please take care.

A woman raped at a party when she was a teenager lived in terror for more than two years as police tried to identify her attacker.

When he was finally charged and taken to court she found out he had been charged with raping an 8-year-old girl three years before her attack.

Together the young women braved a lengthy trial process to bring rapist Joseph James Ennis to justice.

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Half of Growing Up in New Zealand preschoolers live in rented homes, with single parents

Nearly half of the mothers of 7000 preschoolers in a big Government study live in rented homes and move often.

The study, Growing Up in New Zealand, found 50 per cent of the four-year-olds had moved homes at least once from the age of two. Increasing numbers of children were living with a single parent, the research shows.

Maori children were more likely to live with a sole parent than any other ethnic group while Pacific households were most overcrowded.

The University of Auckland research found one in five mothers experienced depressive symptoms during or since pregnancy and that by age four, nearly all the children spent time away from their parent in an early childhood setting.

The latest findings have been released as part of the Now We Are Four segment of the research, which began in 2008 following 7000 children to the age of 21.

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Social Development ministry gave historic abuse complaint statements to police

Deeply personal and traumatic accounts of historic abuse in state care were given to police without the knowledge of those concerned.

A judge has said the abuse claimants were "some of the most vulnerable people in New Zealand society" and distrusted state agencies.

She made an order to stop the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) passing on information, provided for court proceedings, without the claimant's consent.

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Family prayed as paramedic tried to revive baby Maija, court hears

Two nights before baby Maija Puhi Duff died her father rolled on her and was frightened he'd smothered her, he admitted to police.

The next day she'd rolled off a bed.

The revelations came during a more than two-hour DVD-recorded interview with Donovan (Donny) Michael Duff played on Wednesday afternoon to the jury trying him in the High Court at Rotorua where he stands accused of the infant's murder at Turangi on March 12, 2016. He denies the charge.

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Parents of baby found dead used methamphetamine, murder trial hears

Earlier in the day Melina Puhi told how the infant had toppled from a car seat down some concrete steps. On another occasion she'd fallen from a stroller.

She admitted both she and Duff used methamphetamine, he on a daily basis while she said her use was restricted to once a week.

She said when she discovered her baby unresponsive in Duff's truck he told her she'd rolled off a bed, he'd put her on a couch to sleep with him and woke to find she wasn't breathing or moving.

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New domestic violence helpline for men

Police were kept busy over the long weekend in Christchurch with family violence call outs.

One Christchurch organisation knows once the police are called it's too late.

He Waka Tapu have started a new initiative called 0800 Hey Bro - for men who think they may harm a family member or loved one to call and receive help before they harm others.

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Exclusive: 'Sinister, abhorrent, gross' child sex offender jailed

A sinister, abhorrent and entitled sexual deviant has been jailed for 16 years for the prolonged sexual abuse of two children.

And now the Herald can publish photos of the convicted sex offender.

Vailea Pola must serve at least half of his sentence before he can apply for parole - and will be deported to Tonga as soon as he leaves prison.

Pola was sentenced in the Manukau District Court on May 10 after earlier being convicted on 15 charges relating to the sexual abuse of two young people spanning a five-year period.

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Family 'broken' after mother of killed Dunedin teenager Amber-Rose Rush dies

The mother of killed teenager Amber-Rose Rush has died, four months after she found her 16-year-old daughter dead in their Dunedin home.

Bereaved family of Lisa Rush have posted to social media grieving her death. Police would not comment, but it is understood her death is being treated as a suspected suicide.  

Rush found the body of her 16-year-old child at their home in the southwest suburb of Corstorphine on the morning of February 3. Amber-Rose was killed the night before.

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Shortland Street: Finn Warner's descent into domestic violence

Actor Lukas Whiting hopes his Shortland Street character's fall from grace hits home in New Zealand's fight against domestic violence.

When the disgraced surgeon Finn Warner loses his appeal against his suspension after illegally treating a patient while on ambulance duty, he lashes out at wife Esther (Ngahuia Piripi), breaking her rib.

"I've watched it a couple of times and I was surprised that nothing was cut out," Whiting says, who admits the graphic scene was hard to view.

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'Frenzied attack': Domestic abuse sentence 'manifestly inadequate'

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: A horrific domestic abuser who beat his partner while serving a home detention sentence has had his prison term extended after an appeal by the Solicitor-General.

When ruling on the case, which saw the woman's leg torn with a metal bar stool, the Court of Appeal judges also commented on the country's shocking domestic violence record - which they said hadn't improved during the past 20 years.

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Child protection charity teaches the warning signs

A national child protection charity will again hold a special training session in Marlborough at the end of the month.

Safeguarding Children Initiative organisers revealed the 2016 programme, the last time it was in Blenheim, helped highlight a potential case of abuse and neglect in the region.

Child protection experts say the programme teaches participants the warning signs to look out for.

Read more…

 

Rare Australia apology for child sex abuse

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says he will deliver a national apology to victims of institutional child sexual abuse and their families later this year.

The upcoming apology on October 22 was sparked by a five-year inquiry into child sexual abuse which delved into more than 8,000 cases of sexual misconduct largely committed at religious and state-run institutions responsible for the safety of children.

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Police sergeant was on duty when he stalked women on database

New details have come to light in the court case of a Taranaki police sergeant accused of sexual assaults.

It has been revealed some of the offending Kimberlee Frederick Knight Vollmer has pleaded guilty to occurred while on duty and that he met all of his alleged victims while serving as a police constable in Taranaki.

The 47-year-old has admitted using a work computer to access confidential details of four women, two of whom he's accused of indecently assaulting. 

Read more…

 

Son who fatally stabbed father found not guilty of murder

A man who fatally stabbed his father has been found not guilty of murder by a jury at the High Court in Auckland this afternoon.

The father had a string of convictions to his name, he'd spent time in prison and when he got out, he would regularly beat his wife and children.

In contrast, his son shunned his father's lifestyle, held down a regular job, loved his family and had never been in trouble with the police.

But that all changed on a night last year when his father came charging out of the dark and punched him in the face.

Read more…



Category: News Media