Education is the key to reducing offending and re-offending.
Young criminals emerge embittered, unemployable and with an indifference about re-offending.
So policies that emphasise prevention of offending, while ensuring that those who are truly a danger to the community are kept out of it, make sense even if they do assuage the thirst for vengeance. Dame Silvia told the gathering that violence in a society can be an indicator of injustice and inequality. Those who commit violent acts will often be poorly educated, lack empathy with those who are vulnerable and have a severely dysfunctional family life. Often they will be poor. Dame Silvia said while it is important for New Zealand to do everything it can to promote the goal of international peace, there is a degree of hypocrisy if we fail to promote the building of a culture of peace at home.