06/26/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/25/2024 21:30
The Government is reforming sentencing to ensure criminals face serious consequences for crime and victims are prioritised, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says.
"In recent years, there has been a concerning trend where the courts have imposed fewer and shorter prison sentences despite a 33 per cent increase in violent crime.
"Public confidence in the ability of our sentencing system to deter and denounce offending has diminished.
"This Government is committed to restoring law and order in New Zealand and that means ensuring that offenders face serious consequences for their criminal actions.
"The changes we are making send a strong message that victims are the priority of this Government rather than offenders."
The upcoming reforms will strengthen the criminal justice system by:
"These reforms clearly signal an expectation that appropriate consequences are imposed, and the needs of victims are prioritised.
"Judges will of course continue to have discretion to consider the individual circumstances of each case to ensure sentencing does not lead to manifestly unjust outcomes.
"This announcement is just one part of the Government's extensive action to restore law and order. We are delivering 500 additional Police and giving them more powers to go after criminal gangs, speeding up court processes, restoring Three Strikes legislation, establishing military-style academies and creating a Serious Young Offender category to make powerful interventions in the lives of young offenders."