Bail in New Zealand

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Summary

There are some aspects of the criminal justice system in New Zealand that the Army is concerned with. These include the ever-increasing numbers of people being imprisoned and the high rates of re-offending and re-imprisonment in New Zealand. In Stalled, the Army’s fourth State of the Nation report, the Army noted that the government spend on the Department of Corrections was over $1 billion in 2009/10. This amounted to 1.4% of the government’s spending on core public services compared to 1.1% in 2004/05. Yet despite this increase in taxpayer-funded spending by the Government, there have still been increases in serious crime (crimes of a violent or sexual nature), community-based sentences, recidivism and prison populations between 2004/05 and 2009/10.

Clearly there are areas of the justice system and process in New Zealand that need to be challenged and modified to ensure that all New Zealanders can experience a fair, just and effective justice system. With this context, the Army presents this submission regarding the review of the bail laws in New Zealand. This submission is prepared on behalf of the Army by The Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit (SPPU) in partnership with the Courts and Prison’s Services and the Youth and Children’s Services of the Army. The Unit was established in 2004 by The Salvation Army at its community ministry in Manukau City. The principal purpose of the Unit is to advocate for policies which will alleviate poverty in New Zealand and to undertake research and policy analysis to support this advocacy.