We have one of the highest rates of imprisonment in the Western world. 20,000 of our kids have a parent behind bars. What's it like when they're on the inside and you're on the outside? Tonight ` WOMAN: Andrej Michael Schwaab. at just 18 years old, Andrej is back in prison on remand for reoffending within weeks of release. In 2010, after a five-day crime spree, Andrej was arrested at gunpoint. At 15, he was a gangster. Seen as a special case, Andrej's mother is about to find out if the judge will send her adopted son home, or back behind bars. I hope this is the last birthday that he ever spends in custody, ever. Captions by Brittany Stewart. Edited by Conor Whitten. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2013 Nutritionist and mother of two Sue is trying to keep her teenage son, Andrej, out of trouble. Two years ago, Andrej became front-page news. In 2010, 17-year-old Andrej and a 15-year-old friend committed a string of burglaries and went on the run, taking police on a chase through Kaikoura, Seddon, Blenheim, Havelock and the Rai Valley. The boys were stopped with road spikes, at gunpoint, in a stolen Jaguar. Police found a loaded airgun in the back seat. With previous convictions and many charges, Andrej was sent to prison. My mother rang me and said, 'Sue, have you got the newspaper this morning?' I said, 'No. Why?' And she said, 'You` Look, I'm going to bring the newspaper up to you.' Sue's daughter, Iliana, is visiting from university. It's been two years since Andrej's front-page arrest at gunpoint. After reoffending, stealing a car and setting fire to it while out on parole, Andrej's back in prison, waiting to be sentenced. He's about to turn 19 ` one of many birthdays spent behind bars. So, did you get Andrej a card? He's about to turn 19 ` one of many birthdays spent behind bars. So, did you get Andrej a card? I couldn't. I battled with getting a card for Andrej. I battled. Cos I can't get one that says 'Have a beer, on me'. I can't get one that says 'Hope you're having a wonderful day.' So instead I got him a corny card that he'll probably be angry with me about. Sue and her then-husband were unable to have children. Living in Germany at the time, they adopted Iliana and Andrej from Russia. Iliana spent the first five years of her life with her birth family. Andrej was abandoned and placed in an orphanage. Sue believes this difference in the children's early lives relates to Andrej's behaviour and has led to his offending. At first, when the police came around, it was shocking, of course, but then it became sort of routine, but it was still awfully embarrassing for me. I decided not to have a great involvement with my brother Andrej's life, just because it was affecting my life greatly, and it restricted me from what I wanted to do, because the world revolved around Andrej. I still love him. He's my brother, after all, but he's made our life very difficult, especially my mother's. She's awfully sad, but she's still fighting. She's fighting a lot for my brother. So she hasn't given up, that's for sure. SOLEMN MUSIC Andrej was given up shortly after being born. Abandoned at birth, Sue first set eyes on Andrej 17 years ago. You want this dolly? We walked into this room. I'll always remember it, cos there was Andrej. And he was just tiny. And he was just standing there, sort of, open-mouthed, looking at us. I had bought some colouring-in pencils, because I wanted to see whether he could hold a pencil and draw with it, and tipped them out on the table. And he sat there, not a flicker of a smile, and he just put all those pencils back in the box, with all the points up the right way. And this is for a little boy ` he was two. There was no animation. No nothing. As Andrej grew, Sue began to realise something wasn't right with her adopted son. Sue's marriage ended, and she returned to NZ from Germany with her children. Andrej's behaviour continued. I went to the school psychologist, and I felt there was` there was something` You know, Andrej just` just nothing. I just couldn't get him to concentrate. By the time he was 11, Andrej was known to police. Stealing, setting fire to cars and high-speed pursuits became Andrej's trademark. Sue sought psychological help for Andrej. By 14, Andrej was placed in a youth detention centre. Every week, Sue would visit. Andrej would often refuse to see her. The youth detention centre refused to allow the specialist psychotherapist in to see Andrej. Andrej had been diagnosed with a condition called attachment disorder, believed to be a result of neglect in the first two years of his life. I knew the first two years were important and thought, 'He didn't get the first two years. We'll make the next two years really important. We'll compensate.' But I understand now it doesn't work like that. Sue will visit him on his birthday, but the prison has put restrictions on the visit. This means Sue will only see Andrej behind glass. Sue adopted Iliana and Andrej from Russia 17 years ago. Andrej is back in prison after reoffending while out on parole. In two months, he's due in court and will be sentenced for his latest crimes. I'm having a panang beef curry, please. latest crimes. I'm having a panang beef curry, please. Times two. Times two? It's the night before Andrej's 19th birthday. Sue's out with brother Greg, his partner, and mother Gwyneth. I can't even hug him tomorrow. You know that? his partner, and mother Gwyneth. I can't even hug him tomorrow. You know that? I know. I know. C` Can you, um`? Because they think I'm bringing in drugs. I know. I know. C` Can you, um`? Because they think I'm bringing in drugs. Oh, just... Oh. Do I look like a drug dealer? I'm bringing in drugs. Oh, just... Oh. Do I look like a drug dealer? Yep. Oh, just... Oh. Do I look like a drug dealer? Yep. Courier? (LAUGHS) Prisoners are regularly required to undergo random drug testing. As Andrej wasn't able to produce a urine sample at the time of his test, the prison is putting restrictions on him. Sue's visit with Andrej tomorrow for his birthday will be behind a glass window. I know it probably seems ridiculous ` me putting on make-up to go out to the prison. Believe it or not, Andrej notices. Actually, I can consider myself very lucky that visiting day's on Sunday, and it happens to be his birthday, because if his birthday was on Saturday, I still wouldn't see him. And I won't be able to hug him, and that's upsetting. You know, you want to at least be able to hug your son on his birthday. But I'm getting used to it now. Had years of this, sadly. I'm not much of a make-up person. I think that'll do it. (LAUGHS) I hate going out there. I think my car knows the way. I can probably just say, 'Hey, little car.' You know? 'We're off to visit Andrej.' We've been doing it for years. I only get one hour, so if I don't come at 9 o'clock or shortly after, he's just left sitting in the booth on his own, looking at a blank wall, so I don't like to be too late. For prison families, prison visits are important, but the visiting process can be daunting. Well, it's not like lining up for movie tickets. (LAUGHS) It's not quite as light-hearted as that. You go in, and you have to say your name and produce your ID, and then you're checked off on the list, and then you're given a stamp on the back of your hand, and then you take your shoes off, and you go through a metal detector and put your shoes and anything metal on to trays. It goes through` That goes through separately. You've got to empty your pockets, the tops of your socks. The` There's a drug dog and a guard standing there. And you walk past the drug dog and push a buzzer and go into this waiting room, where you can put your shoes back on and your watch and the various things you've had to remove. And then you` There's a` There's a button, and you push that button, and you wait... for them to do the buzzing noise. The first time, um, seeing Andrej, he came out in this fluoro orange overall, which is what they all wear. It's just such a shock to see him. And Andrej has got a good sense of humour ` slightly macabre, maybe, but he did say to me, 'Don't worry, Mum, just think of me as like a NASA scientist, a NASA astronaut.' Hard. An hour later, Sue's birthday visit to Andrej is over. Well, the visit with` with Andrej was` was... was good. You know, he was really happy to see me. You see other people there, and they look... They look, you know, that sort of,... (CHUCKLES) stunned mullet look. 'What am I doing standing here? What's happened to my life?' Over a year ago, Sue's life was complicated even further, and this time Andrej wasn't to blame. There's my house, right up there, looking a little closer to the cliff than it did prior to February 22nd. MIKE MCROBERTS: This is 3 News. Kia ora. Good evening. If you've just joined us, this is a special edition of 3 News coming to you live from Christchurch. It's only from the air that we can see the extent of what this quake has done to Christchurch. Welcome to my home. Note the broken china, glassware. The earthquake went that way. All the cupboards opened. Everything fell out. Then the earthquake went back again, and the cupboards closed with nothing in them. Everything went` came out, smashed. You can see it, actually, on the corrugate. See the lines ` the tear lines, where the nails were? Andrej's new court date is in a month. If the judge takes Andrej's background and psychological reports into account, he may decide Andrej should serve the rest of his sentence at home under supervision. But with the family home destroyed, it is less likely this will happen. For a sentence of home detention to be an option, Sue must find a new place for Andrej soon. With her house destroyed, Sue is staying with her 86-year-old mother, Gwyneth. This is my linen` linen cupboard. (CHUCKLES) You know, I'm usually immaculate. I like everything really sparse, clean, empty. You know, a bit of a designer look, which we don't have going here. You shouldn't be living with your mother at my age. Um, and she's very good. Um, it's not ideal for Andrej to come back here. Um, three generations under one roof ` I don't think it's ideal. I'm going into a home. I won't be doing any gardening. roof ` I don't think it's ideal. I'm going into a home. I won't be doing any gardening. So when are you gonna do that? Sue's mother, Gwyneth, and brother, Greg, have experienced Andrej's behaviour and his offending over many years. The most shocking time was during Sue and Greg's father's funeral ` Andrej's grandfather. He left the funeral after giving a lovely speech ` I mean, this is how bizarre it is ` coming round here and burgling the house. You know, and you can imagine my mother's feeling. And coming home after her husband has died,... house is burgled. I mean, I felt terrible. What do I do? If I'd abandoned Andrej, though ` if I'd walked away ` which seemed to be what Child, Youth and Family` in fact, one Child, Youth and Family worker suggested it to my brother ` 'Why doesn't your sister just, 'you know, walk away from him?' Well, It wasn't gonna heal him. He would keep stealing from us, and we seemed to be the main people he stole from. And I said, 'What use is that? I can't abandon him.' Andrej's family pays for a specialist psychotherapist to visit Andrej in prison every week. He's one of few prisoners in the country to get outside help. There are people who don't understand, and I don't choose to be with them. And I'm quite honest and open about where my son is. I don't rush up to people and say, 'Hi. Guess what ` my son's in prison.' But if I'm asked, I'll try and put emphasis on my daughter, but if they say, 'And what's your son doing?', I'll say, 'It's very sad. My son, sadly, is in prison.' Andrej didn't just steal from family. Sue's friend, Glynis, has known Andrej since he was a child and is coming with Sue to Andrej's sentencing in a month's time. The next hard thing was when he made the front page of The Press when he was arrested in Nelson. And by coincidence, I had an appointment with you that afternoon. And I seriously wondered, 'Can I face going into, you know, 'the bastion of respectability in Christchurch, Ballantynes,... 'the bastion of respectability in Christchurch, Ballantynes,... (CHUCKLES) '...park in Ballantynes car park and go through to you, 'when my son had just made the front page of The Press for his offending?' It was horrible. Because it does reflect on me, ultimately. It's awful. But I've survived that. You've done well. Yeah. You've done well. Yeah. You did. You've had` You've had a lot to put up with. Yeah. Yeah. You've had a lot to put up with. Yeah. Yeah. By` And by yourself. It's not easy. Never mind. Glynis herself has been a victim of Andrej. Andrej stole a car from Glynis, putting a huge strain on her friendship with Sue. But I want him to know that when he's out ` and` and even if he's on home detention ` that we can, maybe, bond again and get back on the level that we used to be on. And that I forgive him. I don't care what's happened. I know that there's hope there, and we all want him to come right ` for Sue's sake and for Andrej's sake. Andrej is due in court again and could be given home detention. With the family house destroyed in the earthquake, Sue must find a place to live ` and soon. I've just gotta get a house to live in. I don't care about the deck or master tiles. Deal with that later. Mother of two adopted children Sue must find a new house for her son, Andrej. Since the Christchurch earthquake destroyed her home, Sue's been living with her mother, but the town house is too small for all of them. My mother said that he can come here, but I think having three generations in one house and a son on home detention is putting a big imposition on an 86-year-old. 19-year-old Andrej's sentencing date is now only days away, and Sue is hoping the judge will allow Andrej to serve the rest of his sentence out of prison, on home detention. Sue's getting desperate to find a new house for them. With insurance hold-ups on her earthquake-damaged house, Sue takes the only option left and asks her long-term tenants to leave her rental property. It's being able to plan my life a bit. That's what's really important. I need` I want that sentence ` whatever it is ` so I can make some decisions around my own life as well. This is my link to Andrej ` my weekly visits and the phonecards. I said once to Andrej a few weeks ago, 'Has the penny dropped yet, Andrej?', and he said, 'I think it's left the pocket, Mum.' (LAUGHS) Though it hasn't dropped, but it's getting there. Mm. It's getting there. A week or two ago, he, on a phone call, said that I` I was his rock. And I was pretty touched because, um, it's taken a long time to get there. Two years ago, he could hardly look at me. It was horrible. Obnoxious child, really. Not very lovable at all, but he's come a long way. So with therapy and consistency, he's learning what love really means. Overnight, and without warning, Christchurch is struck by a winter blast. I'm really worried. I mean, if Andrej doesn't get sentenced today` He's been locked up since November. Sue, has he got warm clothes? Not allowed to send clothes in, Mother. He wears whatever the prison provide him with. Yes, but if he has to come out on a snowy, very cold day ` coldest day for 130 years, didn't they say? You think they're gonna hand them ski parkas or something? day for 130 years, didn't they say? You think they're gonna hand them ski parkas or something? (SCOFFS) No, I don't. No, I don't. I don't think so. With snow closing roads, court is cancelled. This is a devastating setback for Sue. Andrej's been in prison, on remand, for six months. I` I` Yeah. I'm frustrated. I` There's no point in being angry. I can't do anything about the weather. I can't help it that we've had a massive snow dump. (LAUGHS) Uh, but it is frustrating. Aren't you, my beautiful boy? My mother always says I should stick to dogs. (LAUGHS) More successful with a male dog than I am with a male child, aren't I? The district court schedules a new date of Andrej's sentencing. And, one month later, Sue has moved into her rental property. Andrej's new court date is now only days away. Probation have been round to this house, and they've looked at the house for the suitability of home detention. This is a nice, big house, and if he is here on home detention, we won't be on top of each other. You know, even a normal teenager, they want to have their own space. You know, even a normal teenager, they want to have their own space. < WOMAN: How you feeling, Sue? You know, even a normal teenager, they want to have their own space. < WOMAN: How you feeling, Sue? Sick. Sick is how I'm feeling. WOMAN: Andrej Michael Schwaab. After seven months of waiting for the hearing, there's a bombshell. Your Honour, I appear for, um, Mr Schwaab. As a result of the discussion I've had with Mr Schwaab, it's probably appropriate another judge, uh, sentence him, Your Honour. The judge declares a conflict of interest. He has sat in on one of Andrej's previous parole hearings. After speaking to Andrej's lawyer and Andrej, it is decided a different judge should be sentencing Andrej. Andrej is sent back to prison until another court date is scheduled. Bloody awful. Andrej is sent back to prison until another court date is scheduled. Bloody awful. Eh? another court date is scheduled. Bloody awful. Eh? Bloody awful. Yeah, I'm shaking all over now. I hate it every time. It's just... horrible. The instinctive thing is to go up and give him a hug, but you're not allowed to. I'm roped off. You're not allowed to. He doesn't even look at` He's not allowed to either. to. He doesn't even look at` He's not allowed to either. He's not allowed to. We do it so badly in this country. So badly. It's so shameful. How we can just let these people... No wonder we have to build new prisons ` if we're not rehabilitating, educating them, helping these damaged, damaged young people. We're not even assessing them. We don't care whether they're damaged. They've committed a crime; lock them up. WOMAN: So, where to now, you two? lock them up. WOMAN: So, where to now, you two? < A drink. BOTH LAUGH Thanks for coming for nothing. BOTH LAUGH Thanks for coming for nothing. That's what friends are for. Yeah. Captions by Brittany Stewart. Edited by Conor Whitten. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2013 Supporting local content so you can see more of New Zealand on air.