A clergyman who has been visiting a young prisoner says the high numbers of young people committing serious crimes in our communities should be a warning to society.
The Taupo reverend has been making regular prison visits to Jahche Broughton, who killed Scottish backpacker Karen Aim in Taupo five years ago.
Reverend John Howell says a lot of money has been put into building prisons as a result of fear but young people should be better helped to turn their lives around.
He says the prison system should be providing rehabilitation to facilitate the process of young offenders growing into mature adults who can accept some responsibility for what they have done.
Mr Howell says he visits Jahche Broughton regularly to show him that people outside of his family care about him.
