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HOPICC

Towards a Better Correctional Practice For The Pacific

Welcome to Suva, Fiji the venue for the Second HOPICC.

This Conference exhibits the continued commitment of Correctional leaders from around the Pacific Region to promote, maintain and strengthen cooperation between individuals, institutions and organizations interested in corrections.

There is no unique standard on how each jurisdiction conducts its business of managing offenders but it is understood that through networking, sharing ideas and learning from each other’s experience that we could develop a way forward. Improving standards and practices in prisons are both complex and challenging. It is complex and challenging because each jurisdiction’s are trying to move from the traditional approach of pure containment to a modern approach, which embraces training and rehabilitation. Fundamental to this process is the need to alter the mindset of the Officers through their professional development. Moreover, most prison models are outdated and not conducive for effective rehabilitation of offenders and training the Officers. These predicaments and many others continue to hinder and frustrate correctional practitioners in the region.

More recently many jurisdictions prefer community based corrections as opposed to custodial imprisonment. Countries that have advanced in this system continue to improve their practices because it impacts on the prison population and eliminates the stigma associated with incarceration. The on-going exploration of alternative means of imprisonment therefore proves to be very popular amongst correctional practitioners.

This conference will allow each individual to share experiences and ideas in order that we could collectively develop a model that is realistic, achievable and sustainable in our respective countries.

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(I Naivalurua)
Commissioner of Prisons