Sycamore Tree Programme: A Journey For Them All
PRison Fellowship New Zealand is actively workign with the Department of Corrections to expand the Sycamore Tree Project. This article originally appeared in Te Ara Whakatika: newsletter of the court-referred restorative justice project, Winter 2004, number 22.
A community-based restorative justice programme that involves groups of
crime victims meeting with groups of offenders is to be introduced to
prisons in Palmerston North, Wanganui and Invercargill over the next six
months.
The Sycamore Tree programme, run by the Prison Fellowship of New Zealand, has been operating successfully at Hawke’s Bay Prison for the last three years.
“We’ve had glowing feedback from our participants,” says Jackie Katounas, who has been facilitating the programme in Hastings.
The Department of Corrections is funding an extension of the programme into Manawatu Prison from August, Wanganui Prison from September, and Invercargill Prison from November.
The voluntary programme involves groups of six inmates and six victims of unrelated crimes coming together for eight two-hour sessions. The aims of the programme include:
“Each session covers a specific topic, such as taking responsibility for your actions, forgiveness, reconciliation or restitution,” says Jackie.
“We’re really noticing a change of heart, a change of attitude amongst the inmates. “They are getting an opportunity to experience first hand some of those experiences that victims of other crimes have suffered.
“We would hope that by the end of the programme the inmates are better prepared to look at going down the true restorative path and meeting with their primary victim.”
Jackie says the programme has also been rewarding for many of the victims that have volunteered to take part.
“Most are coming to a place, or are very close to coming to a place of forgiveness. That can be a huge thing on their part.”
Many of the victims involved in the programme are initially motivated to help offenders, “but realise during the sessions that they have buried issues that need to be dealt with. Sycamore Tree helps them deal with those issues.”
She describes the programme as “a journey for them all”.
During the three years the programme has been running at Hawke’s Bay Prison, Jackie has been simplifying and modifying it to better suit New Zealand conditions.
“We received the programme from America. It contains quite a lot of traditional religious theology, and because non-Christian people can participate, we wanted to make sure it could be delivered at a level everyone would understand.
“Without taking away the biblical base, we’ve simplified it and introduced some Kiwi stories of forgiveness. I’m also looking at ways to incorporate Maori culture into the programme.”
The programme was named after the story in the bible about Zacchaeus, a dishonest tax collector who climbed a sycamore tree to get a better view of Jesus. After the pair met, Zacchaeus repented and agreed to pay back his victims.
Prison Fellowship is in the process of developing a comprehensive evaluation of the programme in New Zealand.
Jackie says it is “absolutely wonderful that Corrections have agreed that Sycamore Tree is a programme of value to the point where they’re prepared to fund it. That’s really exciting for us.”
She says that inmates are offered a variety of programmes aimed at “changing their thinking and behaviour – head stuff.
“What we’re hearing from the inmates is that Sycamore Tree is a ‘heart’ programme, in that they are able to make the head and heart connection to bring about change.
“It’s all very well to have something in your head, but if your heart doesn’t feel that way it’s not going to be significant. Inmates are telling us that this is touching their hearts in a special way.”
The Sycamore Tree programme, run by the Prison Fellowship of New Zealand, has been operating successfully at Hawke’s Bay Prison for the last three years.
“We’ve had glowing feedback from our participants,” says Jackie Katounas, who has been facilitating the programme in Hastings.
The Department of Corrections is funding an extension of the programme into Manawatu Prison from August, Wanganui Prison from September, and Invercargill Prison from November.
The voluntary programme involves groups of six inmates and six victims of unrelated crimes coming together for eight two-hour sessions. The aims of the programme include:
- restoring and healing the victims of crime
- making offenders personally accountable for the harm to victims, and aware of the harm caused to victims, their families and the community
- motivating offenders to restore relationships, address their rehabilitative needs and reduce offending
- involving the community in actively engaging with offenders and victims.
“Each session covers a specific topic, such as taking responsibility for your actions, forgiveness, reconciliation or restitution,” says Jackie.
“We’re really noticing a change of heart, a change of attitude amongst the inmates. “They are getting an opportunity to experience first hand some of those experiences that victims of other crimes have suffered.
“We would hope that by the end of the programme the inmates are better prepared to look at going down the true restorative path and meeting with their primary victim.”
Jackie says the programme has also been rewarding for many of the victims that have volunteered to take part.
“Most are coming to a place, or are very close to coming to a place of forgiveness. That can be a huge thing on their part.”
Many of the victims involved in the programme are initially motivated to help offenders, “but realise during the sessions that they have buried issues that need to be dealt with. Sycamore Tree helps them deal with those issues.”
She describes the programme as “a journey for them all”.
During the three years the programme has been running at Hawke’s Bay Prison, Jackie has been simplifying and modifying it to better suit New Zealand conditions.
“We received the programme from America. It contains quite a lot of traditional religious theology, and because non-Christian people can participate, we wanted to make sure it could be delivered at a level everyone would understand.
“Without taking away the biblical base, we’ve simplified it and introduced some Kiwi stories of forgiveness. I’m also looking at ways to incorporate Maori culture into the programme.”
The programme was named after the story in the bible about Zacchaeus, a dishonest tax collector who climbed a sycamore tree to get a better view of Jesus. After the pair met, Zacchaeus repented and agreed to pay back his victims.
Prison Fellowship is in the process of developing a comprehensive evaluation of the programme in New Zealand.
Jackie says it is “absolutely wonderful that Corrections have agreed that Sycamore Tree is a programme of value to the point where they’re prepared to fund it. That’s really exciting for us.”
She says that inmates are offered a variety of programmes aimed at “changing their thinking and behaviour – head stuff.
“What we’re hearing from the inmates is that Sycamore Tree is a ‘heart’ programme, in that they are able to make the head and heart connection to bring about change.
“It’s all very well to have something in your head, but if your heart doesn’t feel that way it’s not going to be significant. Inmates are telling us that this is touching their hearts in a special way.”