title: How essential is the quality of the working relationship, between Probation Officer and Client, in ensuring client compliance with community based sentences?

authors: Swain, Kerry Lauree

abstract: Within the field of psychology there has long been debate, between researchers and opinion makers, on how important the relationship between clients and probation officer is, in determining probation outcomes. During the 1970s’ tough probation supervision practices emphasized surveillance, authority, and control to try to reduce re-offending. This management style prevailed despite the abundance of evidence to suggest such an approach did not work, rather it increased the likelihood of recidivism. Although these practices continue in some countries, in others a more responsive, and inclusive management style has become increasingly popular within probation officers. So, does a more responsive management style better support compliance?
To answer this question, we utilised an existing dataset of 106 participants involved in “The Traumatic Brain Injury Project”. We interviewed probation officers to determine the quality of the relationship they have with their supervisees. Using a mixed method design we analysed the data to ascertain what factors, if any, had an impact on probation outcomes. Lastly, we identified individual client needs, such as trauma and substance abuse, to determine whether they have any bearing on sentence compliance.
We found that the quality of the relationship between client and probation officer had no bearing on noncompliance outcomes. However, the acute factors recorded in a risk assessment tool at sentence commencement, although not predictive of non-compliance, had a bearing on probation outcomes for clients. Additionally, we found that a client’s complex needs, such as mental health or homelessness did not impact on sentence compliance.

text: How essential is the quality of the working relationship, between Probation Officer and Client, in ensuring client compliance with community based sentences? Within the field of psychology there has long been debate, between researchers and opinion makers, on how important the relationship between clients and probation officer is, in determining probation outcomes. During the 1970s’ tough probation supervision practices emphasized surveillance, authority, and control to try to reduce re-offending. This management style prevailed despite the abundance of evidence to suggest such an approach did not work, rather it increased the likelihood of recidivism. Although these practices continue in some countries, in others a more responsive, and inclusive management style has become increasingly popular within probation officers. So, does a more responsive management style better support compliance?
To answer this question, we utilised an existing dataset of 106 participants involved in “The Traumatic Brain Injury Project”. We interviewed probation officers to determine the quality of the relationship they have with their supervisees. Using a mixed method design we analysed the data to ascertain what factors, if any, had an impact on probation outcomes. Lastly, we identified individual client needs, such as trauma and substance abuse, to determine whether they have any bearing on sentence compliance.
We found that the quality of the relationship between client and probation officer had no bearing on noncompliance outcomes. However, the acute factors recorded in a risk assessment tool at sentence commencement, although not predictive of non-compliance, had a bearing on probation outcomes for clients. Additionally, we found that a client’s complex needs, such as mental health or homelessness did not impact on sentence compliance.

year: 2020

title: Variation in benthic primary production during tidal emersion within different intertidal habitats

authors: Rogers, Kate

abstract: Intertidal habitats provide a wealth of ecosystem services including fuelling oceanic food webs and processing nutrients however, understanding the response of these habitats to emersion has been largely overlooked. Increasing rates of terrestrial sediment reaching the coast is degrading the water column light climate and thus the productive capacity of benthic primary producers during immersion. As a result, low tide production may become more significant in the near future. There is currently little knowledge regarding how primary production changes over an emersion period, in particular how it varies with habitat type and the impacts of environmental stressors, such as desiccation.  

This study explored the spatial (between habitats) and temporal (over austral summer and over individual emersion periods) variability in benthic primary production within a temperate barrier-enclosed estuary. Research was conducted in three intertidal habitats (encompassing differences in sediment properties, dominant primary producers, and macrofaunal communities) in Tauranga Harbour, New Zealand. Seagrass (Zostera muelleri), shellfish, and polychaete dominated habitats were chosen as they represent common intertidal habitats found in temperate regions. Emerged gross primary production (GPP), at the community scale, was quantified by measuring changes in carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration over time during a series of successive three minute incubations spanning the entirety of the low tide period. This was achieved by measuring fluxes of CO2 in benthic incubation chambers under both light and dark conditions, to derive net primary production (NPP) and sediment oxygen consumption (SOC) respectively. CO2 fluxes were then analysed to determine whether sampling month or time exposed had a significant difference on the photosynthetic capacity of different intertidal habitats. Sedimentary and environmental variables were sampled to identify any key predictors of emerged primary production. 

Primary production (both NPP and GPP) measured in the seagrass habitat exceeded both bare sediment habitats (by up to 11 times) due to inherent differences in the dominant primary producers (seagrass vs. microphytobenthos) and the associated photosynthetic biomass. Within bare sediment habitats, significant differences in primary production were attributed to variation in sedimentary characteristics (particularly mud content) and macrofaunal communities. GPP was standardised for photosynthesising biomass to provide a measure of photosynthetic efficiency (GPPSG and GPPchl a). Once standardised, month to month differences within individual habitats disappeared, thus initial temporal differences measured over austral summer were primarily attributed to differences in biomass. Temporal trends over individual emersion periods were not consistent across all habitats. GPPSG in the seagrass habitat increased hourly (from T1 to T4) on multiple sampling occasions, while no consistent trends were evident in either of the bare sediment habitats.  

This study recognises that emerged primary production can equal, if not exceed, rates of production and carbon fixation during immersion. This reinforces the importance of including emerged intertidal habitats in global carbon budgets. Especially as the contribution of low tide production will become increasingly important as elevated turbidity levels may compromise the productive capacity of submerged habitats. Understanding the dynamics of intertidal habitats under emersion is valuable as they represent a significant proportion of coastal ecosystems in New Zealand and around the globe.

text: Variation in benthic primary production during tidal emersion within different intertidal habitats Intertidal habitats provide a wealth of ecosystem services including fuelling oceanic food webs and processing nutrients however, understanding the response of these habitats to emersion has been largely overlooked. Increasing rates of terrestrial sediment reaching the coast is degrading the water column light climate and thus the productive capacity of benthic primary producers during immersion. As a result, low tide production may become more significant in the near future. There is currently little knowledge regarding how primary production changes over an emersion period, in particular how it varies with habitat type and the impacts of environmental stressors, such as desiccation.  

This study explored the spatial (between habitats) and temporal (over austral summer and over individual emersion periods) variability in benthic primary production within a temperate barrier-enclosed estuary. Research was conducted in three intertidal habitats (encompassing differences in sediment properties, dominant primary producers, and macrofaunal communities) in Tauranga Harbour, New Zealand. Seagrass (Zostera muelleri), shellfish, and polychaete dominated habitats were chosen as they represent common intertidal habitats found in temperate regions. Emerged gross primary production (GPP), at the community scale, was quantified by measuring changes in carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration over time during a series of successive three minute incubations spanning the entirety of the low tide period. This was achieved by measuring fluxes of CO2 in benthic incubation chambers under both light and dark conditions, to derive net primary production (NPP) and sediment oxygen consumption (SOC) respectively. CO2 fluxes were then analysed to determine whether sampling month or time exposed had a significant difference on the photosynthetic capacity of different intertidal habitats. Sedimentary and environmental variables were sampled to identify any key predictors of emerged primary production. 

Primary production (both NPP and GPP) measured in the seagrass habitat exceeded both bare sediment habitats (by up to 11 times) due to inherent differences in the dominant primary producers (seagrass vs. microphytobenthos) and the associated photosynthetic biomass. Within bare sediment habitats, significant differences in primary production were attributed to variation in sedimentary characteristics (particularly mud content) and macrofaunal communities. GPP was standardised for photosynthesising biomass to provide a measure of photosynthetic efficiency (GPPSG and GPPchl a). Once standardised, month to month differences within individual habitats disappeared, thus initial temporal differences measured over austral summer were primarily attributed to differences in biomass. Temporal trends over individual emersion periods were not consistent across all habitats. GPPSG in the seagrass habitat increased hourly (from T1 to T4) on multiple sampling occasions, while no consistent trends were evident in either of the bare sediment habitats.  

This study recognises that emerged primary production can equal, if not exceed, rates of production and carbon fixation during immersion. This reinforces the importance of including emerged intertidal habitats in global carbon budgets. Especially as the contribution of low tide production will become increasingly important as elevated turbidity levels may compromise the productive capacity of submerged habitats. Understanding the dynamics of intertidal habitats under emersion is valuable as they represent a significant proportion of coastal ecosystems in New Zealand and around the globe.

year: 2019

title: John William Richard Guilding

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: Born in Auckland in 1842, by his late teenage years John William Richard Guilding was trading with Maori in the Piako district. Protected by a rangatira, he established a store at Kerepehi, but despite being known to be ‘friendly’ with Maori he was driven off after the start of the Waikato War. In 1864, again with the approval of a rangatira, he erected a store on the site of the future township of Thames. Although he claimed to have found signs of gold there, he was not the prospector who produced the samples that led to the opening of the goldfield. In 1869 he was appointed a licensed interpreter, in which role he assisted both the Crown and private individuals to acquire Maori land. Some of these transactions created controversy, and he was accused of tricking Maori. In 1875 his attempt to use his position as James Mackay’s interpreter to acquire a lease of land at Tairua for his own financial gain provoked much criticism, and his ‘irregular practices’ led to his dismissal as a licensed interpreter in 1883. He would continue to act for individuals as both an interpreter and a land agent in Ohinemuri and Te Aroha in subsequent years.
Guilding’s close links with Maori were in part explained by his private life. Having married a ‘half-caste’ who later left him for another man, he had three more ‘marriages’ and several more children, who were brought up in Pakeha ways. Financially, he always struggled, filing as bankrupt twice and dying in straightened circumstances. At Te Aroha he held several minor official positions, sometimes being criticized for his performance. Active in local politics, he was generally unpopular and was never elected to the positions he sought. Throughout his life his reputation amongst a sizeable number of his contemporaries was poor.

text: John William Richard Guilding Born in Auckland in 1842, by his late teenage years John William Richard Guilding was trading with Maori in the Piako district. Protected by a rangatira, he established a store at Kerepehi, but despite being known to be ‘friendly’ with Maori he was driven off after the start of the Waikato War. In 1864, again with the approval of a rangatira, he erected a store on the site of the future township of Thames. Although he claimed to have found signs of gold there, he was not the prospector who produced the samples that led to the opening of the goldfield. In 1869 he was appointed a licensed interpreter, in which role he assisted both the Crown and private individuals to acquire Maori land. Some of these transactions created controversy, and he was accused of tricking Maori. In 1875 his attempt to use his position as James Mackay’s interpreter to acquire a lease of land at Tairua for his own financial gain provoked much criticism, and his ‘irregular practices’ led to his dismissal as a licensed interpreter in 1883. He would continue to act for individuals as both an interpreter and a land agent in Ohinemuri and Te Aroha in subsequent years.
Guilding’s close links with Maori were in part explained by his private life. Having married a ‘half-caste’ who later left him for another man, he had three more ‘marriages’ and several more children, who were brought up in Pakeha ways. Financially, he always struggled, filing as bankrupt twice and dying in straightened circumstances. At Te Aroha he held several minor official positions, sometimes being criticized for his performance. Active in local politics, he was generally unpopular and was never elected to the positions he sought. Throughout his life his reputation amongst a sizeable number of his contemporaries was poor.

year: 2016