Young released killer needs 'fair go', prison fellowship says

New Zealand's youngest convicted killer should be given "a fair go" when released next month, a Christian criminal justice campaigner says.
 
The Parole Board's decision to release Bailey Junior Kurariki prompted a call from Kim Workman, Prison Fellowship national director, for support for the young man.

The board announced yesterday it would release Kurariki next month, saying this was likely to be safer for the community than releasing him when his seven-year jail sentence ends in September.

Kurariki, who was 12 when he was in a gang that killed pizza delivery man Michael Choy in September 2001, will be released on residential restrictions -- the new name for home detention.

This involves electronic monitoring and remaining at a selected location 24 hours a day.

Bailey Kurariki was just 12 when he was convicted of manslaughter

Kurariki was convicted of Mr Choy's manslaughter after the baseball bat slaying in south Auckland. Since then Mr Choy's mother, Rita Croskery, and others have opposed him being released from jail until the end of his sentence.

Mr Workman said Kurariki needed support, not harassment.

"New Zealanders have always been known for giving people a fair go," he said.

"In the past, Bailey has been withdrawn from rehabilitation programmes and staged reintegration outings, because of public protest. This has hampered his transition back into the community.

" Any further harassment is going to interfere with Bailey's determination to stay out of trouble."

Mr Workman said the media and victim advocacy groups needed to realise Kurariki needed all the support he could get, and urged them to leave him alone.

"Any further harassment may lessen his chances of leading an offence free life. It could also be instrumental in producing yet another victim -- we need to avoid that possibility."

Mr Workman said there were people in the South Auckland community who would work together to help Kurariki's transition, "to make sure he is held accountable on a regular basis, and supported to succeed."

In its decision the Parole Board said it would hold a compliance hearing in July at which Kurariki would be required to appear, to ensure all parole conditions were being complied with, and to assess risk.

"If the board has any concerns it can of course recall the offender back to prison, for the remainder of his sentence," the board said.

But it noted that whether Kurariki was released from jail at the end of his term on September 16, or before, he would be subject to parole conditions only for six months after the statutory release date.

The board said releasing him now under residential restrictions - with support from his family, the supervision of his family and probation officers, mentoring from a kaumatua, and special release conditions - "will not pose an undue risk to the safety of the community.

The board said it expected there would be "very close supervision of the offender and also a display of understanding by the media that this young man is vulnerable".

Sensible Sentencing Trust director Garth McVicar supported the imposition of strict conditions but said they were only imposed after the victim's mother, Rita Croskery, went public with her concerns.

He renewed calls for the Parole Board to be abolished.

Kurariki's special conditions include:

* Remaining at all times at a residence, the location of which has been withheld, unless a probation officer approves an absence;

* Attending an assessment for an unspecified programme one week after release and completing the programme;

* Attending weekly psychological counselling and treatment;

* Attending weekly counselling with a mentor;

* Not using or possessing alcohol or illicit drugs;

* Undertaking employment, training or education approved by his probation officer;

* Not contacting with any victims unless approved by his probation officer; and

* Not contacting or providing any information relating to his imprisonment or parole to any news media.

NZPA