Venkat Raman
Auckland, July 5, 2023
Relationships and cultural identities of young Pacific people who have committed crimes and their families are key to changing their futures.
This is among the findings of new research funded by the Health Research of New Zealand.
It brought to light views that have rarely been expressed or heard.
Massey University School of Psychology Associate Professor Julia Ioane conducted the study engaging 20 young people and their families, using Pacific values and principles.
“Stay in School” was their message to the younger members of the community, while the appeal to the justice system was also clear: “Help them stay in school.”
The disconnected feeling
Dr Ioane experienced feelings of disconnection and an absence of the voice of the young people and their culture throughout the justice process.
According to her, the definition of mental health is not widely understood by young Pacific people and hence are less likely to access mental health support and substance abuse services.
“Young people are at risk because of ongoing use of alcohol and drugs, and association with friends who were involved with offending behaviour. Perhaps not surprisingly, parents are more concerned about their adolescents’ behaviour than the young people themselves, as shown in questionnaire responses and interviews,” she said.
Dr Ioane said that relationships between staff and parents are fundamental in reducing the risk of recidivism amongst Pacific youth, along with positive changes in their families.
“When parents improved their communication skills with one another, and for those who persevered in their determination to support their young person, despite sometimes being blamed by wider family members, there was a more positive outcome,” she said.
Her study revealed that young people who found good employment or education relationships or connections with positive people fared better.
“Young people who participated in the research were very proud of their identity. Whether they were born in New Zealand or elsewhere, cultural connections such as Samoan, Tongan and Fijian provided an opportunity to reduce recidivism. However, pride can also complicate matters, as it did not coincide with their offending behaviour, given that values of respect and love are fundamental to Pacific cultures,” Dr Ioane said.
The Church also played an important part, with about 50% of the participants saying that it had a role as an intervention to deter further offending behaviour.
Early intervention strategies
She said that the research has highlighted an opportunity to aid prevention and early intervention strategies for working with these communities, from within deep connections with home, school, culture and spirituality.
The study also found that economic stress was a significant contributor to poor mental health.
“The findings showed a need to include social and economic factors when assessing offending behaviour and how to improve the economic and financial well-being of the young person and their families, to reduce offending risk. It also highlighted the need for families to be involved from the start, designing and implementing intervention plans,” Dr Ioane said.
She said that peer-based interventions should be increased as a part of the youth justice system.
“If we are to truly work towards preventing our Pacific youth from entering the justice system, we need to take our work into their homes and be guided by them. These are Pacific people who have been disconnected, disrespected, and disengaged from the systems created to support them. Connection is fundamental to working with our underserved communities and this study reminded us of this importance,” Dr Ioane said.
