Key Takeaways
- Oranga Tamariki plans to run a second boot camp for serious youth offenders in March 2026, despite the legislation enabling the program not yet being passed.
- The boot camp will be a voluntary program, housed at the same youth justice residence in Palmerston North as the pilot program.
- The program aims to reduce youth offending, but opponents have raised concerns that boot camps have been found to be ineffective in the past.
- The ministry has learned from the pilot program and is integrating new design elements, such as stronger Iwi engagement and improved transition planning.
- The program will include a new whānau support program to support the young people and their families.
Introduction to the Boot Camp Program
Oranga Tamariki, the Ministry for Children, is planning to run a second boot camp for serious youth offenders in March 2026, despite the legislation enabling the program not yet being passed. The boot camp will be a voluntary program, housed at the same youth justice residence in Palmerston North as the pilot program. The program aims to reduce youth offending, but opponents have raised concerns that boot camps have been found to be ineffective in the past. The ministry has learned from the pilot program and is integrating new design elements, such as stronger Iwi engagement and improved transition planning.
Planning and Preparation
The ministry has stated that planning for the second boot camp is well advanced, with online advertising already underway to recruit staff, including psychologists, case leaders, and residential youth workers. The physical infrastructure for the program remains in place in Palmerston North, and the ministry is drawing on lessons learned from the pilot program to inform the new design. The program lead, Janet Mays, has said that the evaluations of the pilot program identified areas for improvement, such as the need for stronger Iwi engagement, improved transition planning, and more support for staff. These lessons are being integrated into the new design, with a focus on creating a more effective and supportive program for the young people involved.
Legislative Concerns
The Responding to Serious Youth Offending Amendment Bill, which would enable a judge to sentence a teenager to time in a military-style academy, had its first reading in Parliament in November. However, the legislation has not yet been passed, and opponents have raised concerns that the ministry is proceeding with the boot camp program before the law has been changed. Labour MP Willow-Jean Prime has criticized the minister and officials for saying there were no definite decisions, but recruiting staff and preparing for the program before the legislation was in place. Prime has also expressed concerns that the program is being "experimented" on children, and that the lives of young people are being politicized.
Effectiveness of Boot Camps
Opponents of the boot camp program have repeatedly raised concerns that such programs have been found to be ineffective at reducing youth offending. The evaluation of the pilot program reported that it created "meaningful and positive change" for the young people involved, but was constrained by rushed implementation, a lack of continuity around therapeutic support, and a lack of capacity in the residential phase. The evaluation also noted that the program needed to have engaged with mana whenua earlier and supported whānau earlier, before the young people returned home. Despite these concerns, the ministry is proceeding with the second boot camp, citing improvements in wellbeing, whānau and cultural connections, and a reduction in serious and violent offences.
New Design Elements
The ministry has learned from the pilot program and is integrating new design elements into the second boot camp. These include a new whānau support program, which will run alongside the residential phase, and a longer residential phase. The 2024 pilot had only a three-month residential phase, which is set to be extended, and a nine-month phase when the young people were back in their communities. The new design also includes stronger Iwi engagement and improved transition planning, with a focus on creating a more effective and supportive program for the young people involved.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Oranga Tamariki is planning to run a second boot camp for serious youth offenders in March 2026, despite concerns about the effectiveness of such programs and the lack of legislation enabling the program. The ministry has learned from the pilot program and is integrating new design elements, such as stronger Iwi engagement and improved transition planning. However, opponents have raised concerns that the program is being "experimented" on children, and that the lives of young people are being politicized. As the program proceeds, it will be important to closely monitor its effectiveness and ensure that the young people involved are receiving the support and care they need to reduce their offending behavior.