Too Hard Basket: Maori & Criminal Justice

Description

The Too-Hard Basket: Maori and Criminal Justice Since 1980 looks at the recent history of Maori and criminal justice from the perspective of government policy amd management, and discusses some of the barriers to change and progress that this reveals. Maori society and all of New Zealand bear a heavy cost from criminal offending. Maori are particularly at risk of offending and of victimisation. There are many influences on society that underlie this problem, both historical and contemporary. So far, New Zealand governments have not been able to tackle the issue. This study argues that progress will be difficult unless attention is paid to management issues, to consistent policy direction and to bringing the debate away from generalisation and position-taking to consideration of concrete issues and practical responses including enduring working relationships with Maori to address the problems. Charlotte Williams has been a public servant for most of her career. Mter her EA (hons) in jurisprudence at Oxford University and being called to the bar (Inner Temple), she joined the Ministry of Foreign Mfairs, latterlyas head of the Australian Mfairs Division and subsequently taking up poisitions in the Treasury and State Services Commission. Her most recent position was as Deputy Secretary of Jusitce responsible for justice sector policy development, including a project to develop a sector response to offending by Maori.