My Stories.
These are the first few of 30 stories and lessons learned from my time in Rimutaka prison over 10 years ago. I am publishing them in support of the growing movement toward achieving the reforms that are needed if more prisoners who have served their time are to eventually contribute positively to society.
A purpose of the corrections system is rehabilitation, but it fails in this 85% of the time, as evidenced by the high recidivism rate where up to 85% of released prisoners return to prison within two years. With up to 5% of the population being incarcerated at some stage of their lives, this problem has a heavy impact on society.
By sharing my experiences, having overcome personal and professional challenges, I look to apply these lessons in my life, and also hope to shed light on the importance of support for rehabilitation, and help to solve the problem.
For 18 years, from 1994, as an accountant and entrepreneur, I battled the New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (IRD) in a series of many business, personal and client tax disputes.
The principal dispute began in 1996, in relation to a tax effective investment scheme created to solve the problem of a lack of investment in New Zealand into internet and tech-boom software in New Zealand. This, in 2004, became a High Court tax case representing some 400 investors with $NZ 600 million in tax impacts overall.
In 2013, I was found guilty of civil (not criminal) tax evasion offences from 2004, and this led to a 14-month stint in prison with a diverse group of inmates, including criminals, gang members, murderers, rapists, crime bosses, petty criminals, drug dealers, and a few fraudsters.
Through it all, I learned to find good in almost everyone and I turned my time in prison into a positive experience. Today, I work at Orba Shoes, a certified B Corporation that produces plant-based shoes and aims to tackle the global problem of pollution caused by many industries, starting by targeting the waste from the 24 billion plastic and synthetic shoes made each year.
I am more committed than ever to making a positive impact on the world, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to share these stories with you. I’d appreciate the opportunity to receive any feedback you may have, especially in terms of helping to make progress and improve aspects of our society where we can make a difference.
Honesty is Gold.
Valuables can be the most important connection inmates have to their lives and loved
ones outside of prison. During my time in Rimutaka prison, I found a valuable gold wedding ring and handed it in to the Prison Officer. This story is a meditation on honesty and always telling the truth.
Personal Training, Personal Change.
In Rimutaka prison, almost all of us inmates wanted to change. Unfortunately, for most,
the most significant barrier to change was not lack of commitment, but the lack of access to support in the many different forms that most New Zealanders can take for granted. This story is about how a few bro’s, a group of notorious gang members, and I embraced personal change and turned the totally negative into an incredible positive.
Being Open Opens Doors.
Kim, a former fellow inmate, was marked by the cool haze of a recent weed habit and a record of episodic violence. As we bonded over exercise and shared stories, I began to urge him to overcome a lack of confidence and apply for parole when he became eligible. Together, we worked on addressing his issues. Kim’s transformation through self-reflection and the preparation for his parole hearing was a testament to the fact that being open, honest, accepting of our vulnerabilities and communicating well opens doors and helps us change.