Awards for long Corrections service
The Tongariro Prison Long Service Awards acknowledged 18 staff members with between seven and 35 years of service in the Central Region of the Department of Corrections.
Held on prison grounds on December 7, recipients received a letter of appreciation from the Regional Commissioner, as well as a medal, clasp or pin, depending on the award category.
Corrections officer Stephen Cook started his career in 1983 with the Department of Justice as a storekeeper at Waikune Prison near Tongariro National Park.
When the prison closed in 1986, Stephen transferred to Tongariro/ Rangipo Prison. In 1994, with some encouragement from his family, he applied for the role of prison officer — now corrections officers.
“I was looking for a change,” says Stephen. “I also had a young family and the flexibility of the shifts worked really well for me.” He enjoys the variety the role brings and over the years has had the opportunity to work in a number of different roles in the prison.
“I’ve worked in different units, the receiving office and I did a five year stint in the Custodial Support Unit.” Stephen has seen many changes during his time with Corrections but he says the biggest change is the shift in focus towards rehabilitation and reintegration.
“We don’t just lock people up anymore. We help them to become productive members of society.”
As a corrections officer, Stephen works with prisoners to help them turn their lives around. His role involves keeping the public safe by maintaining a safe and secure unit environment that supports and encourages the rehabilitative and reintegration needs of prisoners.
“We [corrections officers] often spend more time with prisoners than anyone else,” says Stephen.
“We play a big role in encouraging them to attend and complete their rehabilitation and education programmes, trade training and other programmes inside the wire.”
Stephen says working in a prison can be challenging but he enjoys interacting with prisoners and encouraging them to adopt kaupapa Ma¯ori values to help them make positive changes.
“I’m of Nga¯ti Tu¯wharetoa descent — a lot of the people here are my people and to have the opportunity to positively influence their lives is so rewarding.”
Corrections employs over 9000 staff nationwide who work to improve public safety and offender’s future opportunities for maintaining a crime free life by managing the sentences and orders of almost 10,000 people in prisons and around 30,000 people on community-based sentences.