Social housing and the needs of released women prisoners

This chapter begins with an outline of why housing is critical to social policy. We then give a short history of housing provision for the lowest socio-economic groups in Aotearoa New Zealand, and examine the notion of social housing inthe contemporary context alongside economic and political influences. This chapter will also tell a story about housing policy and a population sub-group regarded as high needs and high risk: the women released from prisons in NewZealand. In another time and place this group would be regarded as ‘destitute’ and part of the ‘undeserving poor’. In the contemporary context they are still likely to be regarded as undeserving and even potentially dangerous. In a society increasingly obsessed with the notion of ‘risk’ (Bechmann, 2014), these women form part of a group that is often without resources and ha srarely been the subject of targeted social service and housing provision. The housing needs of released prisoners and the relationship between housing and recidivism are discussed with reference to a case study from Christchurch to illustrate the efforts of a community housing project for women released from prison and describe the realities of prisoner integration in the current housing climate. We examine the implications for practice through the lens of social work, and the chapter closes with a discussion of how the complex needs of released women prisoners can be met.