In this major new textbook, leading scholars from criminology, history, journalism, law, psychology, sociology and other fields take students and general readers inside New Zealand’s criminal justice system. The authors begin with an introduction to the history and current state of crime, policing and prisons in New Zealand; they then explain the workings of criminal procedure, from evidence to sentencing; and finally they address key current issues such as Maori and the justice system, youth and gangs, psychology and the media. For students and general readers, this book tackles the big questions: How can crime be explained? Is crime rising or falling and if so, why? How do the police operate? How do the courts work? What is the meaning of a ‘life’ sentence? What is the link between crime and mental instability? Why are Maori over-represented in the criminal justice system? How do we deal with youthful offenders? How do judicial miscarriages arise? Do the stories we read about crime in the media reflect reality? And how does justice operate in the criminal underworld? This book is an important new introduction to New Zealand’s criminal justice system – from crime and policing to the courts – aimed at students and general readers.

Crime, Law and Justice in New Zealand examines the recent crime trends and the social, political, and legal changes in New Zealand from the end of the twentieth century to the present. Serving as the only New Zealand–specific criminal justice text, this book takes a direct look at what is unique about the country’s criminal justice system and recent crime trends. Crime rates peaked in the early 1990s and have fallen since. Newbold considers why this happened through factors such as economy, ethnic composition, changing cultural trends, and legislative developments in policing and criminal justice. He unpacks various types of crime separately—violent crime, property crime, drug crime, gang crime, organised crime, etc.—and examines each in terms of the various complex factors affecting it, using illustrative examples from recent high-profile cases. The cover photo for Crime, Law and Justice in New Zealand was taken by Jono Rotman.

"Practitioners will benefit from this text, which provides guidance on the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009's provisions and machinery, the growing body of case law, and the status of a conceptually criminal regime which engages the civil procedure and civil standard of proof"--Publisher information.

This handbook engages key debates in Australian and New Zealand criminology over the last 50 years. In six sections, containing 56 original chapters, leading researchers and practitioners investigate topics such as the history of criminology; crime and justice data; law reform; gangs; youth crime; violent, white collar and rural crime; cybercrime; terrorism; sentencing; Indigenous courts; child witnesses and children of prisoners; police complaints processes; gun laws; alcohol policies; and criminal profiling. Key sections highlight criminological theory and, crucially, Indigenous issues and perspectives on criminal justice. Contributors examine the implications of past and current trends in official data collection, crime policy, and academic investigation to build up an understanding of under-researched and emerging problem areas for future research. An authoritative and comprehensive text, this handbook constitutes a long-awaited and necessary resource for dedicated academics, public policy analysts, and university students.